| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
© 1996 International Society for Behavioral Ecology
research-article |
An experimental analysis of mate choice in the wren: a monomorphic, polygynous passerine
aEdward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road bDepartment of Biological and Molecular Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
Address correspondence to Matthew R. Evans.
ABSTRACT
Male wrens (Troglodytes troglodytes) construct nests that are used in their display to females. Previous work has suggested that the number of vacant nests may be used as a mate choice cue. Correlational data from 1992 confirmed that females appeared to be assessing die number of vacant nests on a male's territory and preferentially mating with males with more nests. Male tail lengdi was also correlated widi mating success. In 1993 the numbers of nests on territories was experimentally manipulated, the female setdement patterns confirmed that die number of vacant nests did mediate mate choice. Male tail length failed to explain additional variance in mating success when die variance explained by the experimental manipulation was removed, suggesting diat die original correlation arose because both tail length and mating success were correlated widi a confounding variable. The structure of the vegetation in a male's territory influenced mating success. This appeared to be due to nests surviving better in territories widi dense vegetation. Males on territories in which nests survive well had longer tails. Male-male competition for good territories may explain die observed effects of male morphology on mating success. Furdier analysis of die nest choice data showed diat all nests had an equal chance of being used by a female. The fact diat all nests had an equal probability of being chosen by a female means diat each additional nest built by a male wren results in die same increase in mating success. This suggests diat die benefits to males of nest building increase linearly. The number of nests on a territory will be affected by various factors such as predation pressure, nest building rate, and vegetation structure. The information diat females are getting by assessing such a signal is discussed.
Key words: advertisement, female choice, sexual selection, signaling, Troglodytes troglodytes, wren.
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  A. P. Moller Rapid change in nest size of a bird related to change in a secondary sexual character Behav. Ecol., January 1, 2006; 17(1): 108 - 116. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. W. P. Friedl and G. M. Klump Nest and mate choice in the red bishop (Euplectes orix) : female settlement rules Behav. Ecol., July 1, 2000; 11(4): 378 - 386. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Lotem, R. H. Wagner, and S. Balshine-Earn The overlooked signaling component of nonsignaling behavior Behav. Ecol., March 1, 1999; 10(2): 209 - 212. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|