Description of the Breeding Plumage of Chadbourne's Field Sparrow (Spizella arenacea), with Evidence of Its Specific Distinctness

C. Hart Merriam

doi:10.2307/4066989

Carotenoid-based plumage colouration in red bishops (Euplectes orix) — signalling presence rather than quality?

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/000579511x608693 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 148 (11-13) ◽

pp. 1372-1392 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alice U. Edler ◽

Thomas W.P. Friedl

Keyword(s):

Reproductive Success ◽

Parasite Load ◽

Blood Parasite ◽

Male Reproductive Success ◽

Sexually Dimorphic ◽

Male Quality ◽

Plumage Colouration ◽

Selection For ◽

Breeding Plumage

AbstractThe role of bright plumage colouration for female choice has been the focus of research in sexual selection for many years, with several studies showing that females prefer the most elaborately ornamented males, which are often also the highest quality individuals. Here, we analysed the associations between reproductive performance and plumage, body condition and blood parasite load in the red bishop (Euplectes orix), a sexually dimorphic and polygynous weaverbird species, where males in a carotenoid-based orange-to-red breeding plumage defend territories and build many nests to which they try to attract females. Male reproductive success in terms of number of nests accepted was mainly determined by the number of nests built, but was also positively related to blood parasite load, while we found no influence of plumage characteristics. Together with previously obtained data, our results indicate that plumage characteristics in the red bishop do not affect male reproductive success and are generally not suitable to reliably indicate male quality. We suggest that the primary function of the brilliant orange-scarlet breeding plumage might be presence signalling in terms of increasing conspicuousness of breeding males to females searching for mates.

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Neurobiology of Avian Social Organization Effects of Lateral Septum Lesions in a Territorial Songbird, the Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla), and a Colonial Songbird, the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1111/j.1749-6632.1997.tb51956.x ◽

1997 ◽

Vol 807 (1 Integrative N) ◽

pp. 518-521 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

JAMES L. GOODSON ◽

RICHARD EIBACH ◽

ANNA DUKES ◽

MICHELLE FRIEDMAN ◽

JON SAKATA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Organization ◽

Zebra Finch ◽

Taeniopygia Guttata ◽

Lateral Septum ◽

Field Sparrow

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Field Sparrow

Fifty Common Birds of the Upper Midwest ◽

10.2307/j.ctt20ks130.44 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 81-81

Keyword(s):

Field Sparrow

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No evidence for an adaptive role of early molt into breeding plumage in a female fairy wren

Behavioral Ecology ◽

10.1093/beheco/arz203 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (2) ◽

pp. 411-420

Author(s):

Sergio Nolazco ◽

Michelle L Hall ◽

Sjouke A Kingma ◽

Kaspar Delhey ◽

Anne Peters

Keyword(s):

Mating Systems ◽

Reproductive Effort ◽

Adaptive Function ◽

Female Ornamentation ◽

Extrapair Mating ◽

Study Results ◽

Selection For ◽

Breeding Plumage ◽

Adaptive Role

Abstract The evolution of ornaments as sexually selected signals is well understood in males, but female ornamentation remains understudied. Fairy wrens offer an excellent model system, given their complex social structure and mating systems, and the diversity of female ornamentation. We investigated whether early molt into ornamental breeding plumage plays an adaptive role in females of the monogamous purple-crowned fairy wren Malurus coronatus, the only fairy wren known to have female seasonal plumage. Using 6 years of monitoring, we found that the timing of female molt was similar to males, but there was no evidence for assortative mating. Like males (previous study), older and dominant individuals acquired their breeding plumage earlier; however, in contrast to males, early molt did not seem to be costly since unfavorable environmental conditions or previous reproductive effort did not delay molt. Early female molt was not associated with any indicator of reproductive quality nor did it attract additional offspring care by their partners. We also found no association between early molt and the likelihood of acquiring a dominant (breeding) position or with the presence or proximity to same-sex rivals. Our study results, which are similar to previous findings in conspecific males, suggest that directional selection for early molt might be relaxed in this species, in contrast to other genetically polygamous fairy wrens in which early molt predicts extrapair mating success in males. However, the finding that molt timing is status dependent raises the possibility that other attributes of the ornament may fulfill an adaptive function in females.

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