Behavioral Ecology Advance Access originally published online on July 10, 2009
Behavioral Ecology 2009 20(5):1000-1006; doi:10.1093/beheco/arp089
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Carotenoid-based status signaling by females in the tropical streak-backed oriole
a Department of Biology, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada b Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, D.F. 04510, México c Departamento de Ecología, CEAMISH, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62209, México d Department of Biological Sciences, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA
Address correspondence to T.G. Murphy. E-mail: tgm3{at}cornell.edu.
 |
Abstract |
|---|
In many tropical bird species, both males and females maintain elaborate plumage traits. Although there is considerable evidence that many male plumage traits function as status signals that convey information about fighting ability, less is known about status signaling in females. We tested whether the carotenoid-based orange breast coloration of the female streak-backed oriole (Icterus pustulatus pustulatus) signals status during territorial interactions. To do this, we simulated territorial intrusions using taxidermic models and compared the roles of the sexes within pairs during territorial defense directed toward different types of simulated intruders. Females were more territorial than their mates during the breeding season, whereas males were more territorial than their mates in the nonbreeding season, contrary to patterns seen in studies of temperate zone birds. The coloration of simulated female intruders also influenced territorial responses: When presented with color-augmented female models, females responded with greater intensity than their mates, whereas the intensity of defense was similar for both sexes when presented with average-colored female models. The greater female response to more colorful intruders suggests that females perceive more ornamented females as greater threats to their territorial tenure or to their pair bond. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that female carotenoid-based coloration signals status in this species.
Key words: elaborate monomorphism, female ornamentation, female territoriality, sexual selection, social selection, status signal.
Received 31 October 2008; revised 25 May 2009; accepted 26 May 2009.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  N. L. Watson and L. W. Simmons Mate choice in the dung beetle Onthophagus sagittarius: are female horns ornaments? Behav. Ecol., January 29, 2010; (2010): arp207v1 - arp207. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. G. Murphy, M. F. Rosenthal, R. Montgomerie, and K. A. Tarvin Female American goldfinches use carotenoid-based bill coloration to signal status Behav. Ecol., November 2, 2009; (2009) arp140v1. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|