Adaptive Significance of Delayed Plumage Maturation in Male Northern Orioles

Flood, Nancy J.

doi:10.2307/2408486

Cited by 37 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…To conclusively reject any of the current DPM hypotheses (i.e., both the proximate function and the selective mechanism), the critical assumptions and predictions about proximate functions need to be tested. Such tests are best done in the field using behavioral data and experiments ofthe kinds described by Flood (1984), Rohwer andNiles (1979), andProcter-Gray andHolmes (1981). In contrast, broad comparative studies seem to be the best for revealing general patterns with respect to the selective mechanisms which may favor DPM (for example, see Rohwer et al, 1980).…”

Section: Patterns Ofdelayed Plumage Maturationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It was first called the sexual-selection hypothesis (Rohwer et al, 1980), and this name has been used in most studies ofDPM (Rohwer, 1978;Rohwer and Niles, 1979;Flood, 1984). However, because other hypotheses are also based on sexual selection, this name is misleading in that rejection of the hypothesis implies that sexual selection is ruled out as a factor favoring delayed plumage maturation.…”

Section: Cryptic Hypothesis (Ch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several studies have found that SY males regularly breed (Rohwer and Niles, 1979;Rohwer et al, 1980;Procter-Gray and Holmes, 1981;Flood, 1984) and have therefore rejected the extreme form of Selander's hypothesis (i.e., delayed sexual maturity). But in all ofthese studies, SY males simply had a lower probability of obtaining a mate than adults, and this is consistent with the CH.…”

Section: Cryptic Hypothesis (Ch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the critical assumption of the FMH is that adult males are unable to distinguish SY males from adult females. Various studies using model presentations have demonstrated that older males treat dull SY males less aggressively than they treat older, brighter males (Rohwer, 1978;Flood, 1984), and this is usually cited as the strongest support for the FMH. This observation is also consistent with our new hypothesis outlined below.…”

Section: Cryptic Hypothesis (Ch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Male red-winged blackbirds clearly can, because they treat at least some SY male models differently from female models (Rohwer, 1978). In northern orioles (Flood, 1984), adult males are not differentially aggressive to female and dull SY male models, but females are, suggesting that males should also be able to discriminate. Clearly, some careful field examinations are needed to determine whether adult males mistake dull SY males for females or whether they simply recognize them as subordinates who pose no threat.…”

Section: Female Mimicry Hypothesis (Fmh)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Delayed Plumage Maturation in Passerine Birds: Reliable Signaling by Subordinate Males?

1986

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Abstract.-Three hypotheses (Cryptic, Female Mimicry, and Winter Adaptation) have been proposed to explain the occurrence of delayed plumage maturation (DPM) in passerine birds. We show that each of these hypotheses is really a composite of two different questions about: I) the proximate function ofdull plumage in second year (SY) males and 2) the selective mechanism that has favored that proximate function. We review the three hypotheses in the context of this distinction, and we find little evidence clearly supporting any of them. We propose a new Status Signaling Hypothesis (SSH) suggesting that dull SY male plumage is a reliable signal of subordinance. We suggest that female choice based on male plumage color (as an index of male quality) is the selective mechanism that has favored subordinate status signaling by SY males. If females prefer bright males, then dull plumage may be a reliable signal of subordinance and SY males may experience reduced levels of aggression from adult males. Male characters (like plumage color) are most likely to be the object of female choice when males defend simple nesting territories with little or no variation in territory quality. In such a system, SY males with low resource-holding potential would benefit (via matings or experience) by signaling subordinance and being allowed to settle among more brightly colored adults. Thus, DPM is expected to be more prevalent when males defend simple nesting territories. This prediction of the SSH is supported by data from the literature-a significantly higher proportion of species with DPM defend simple nesting territories (versus all-purpose territories) than do species without DPM.

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Section: Patterns Ofdelayed Plumage Maturationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cryptic Hypothesis (Ch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cryptic Hypothesis (Ch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cryptic Hypothesis (Ch)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Female Mimicry Hypothesis (Fmh)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Delayed Plumage Maturation in Passerine Birds: Reliable Signaling by Subordinate Males?

1986

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Extensive introgressive hybridization within the northern oriole group (Genus Icterus) revealed by three‐species isolation with migration analysis

Jacobsen

Omland

2012

Ecology and Evolution

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Until recently, studies of divergence and gene flow among closely-related taxa were generally limited to pairs of sister taxa. However, organisms frequently exchange genes with other non-sister taxa. The “northern oriole” group within genus Icterus exemplifies this problem. This group involves the extensively studied hybrid zone between Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) and Bullock's oriole (I. bullockii), an alleged hybrid zone between I. bullockii and black-backed oriole (I. abeillei), and likely mtDNA introgression between I. galbula and I. abeillei. Here, we examine the divergence population genetics of the entire northern oriole group using a multipopulation Isolation-with-Migration (IM) model. In accordance with Haldane's rule, nuclear loci introgress extensively beyond the I. galbula–I. bullockii hybrid zone, while mtDNA does not. We found no evidence of introgression between I. bullockii and I. abeillei or between I. galbula and I. abeillei when all three species were analyzed together in a three-population model. However, traditional pairwise analysis suggested some nuclear introgression from I. abeillei into I. galbula, probably reflecting genetic contributions from I. bullockii unaccounted for in a two-population model. Thus, only by including all members of this group in the analysis was it possible to rigorously estimate the level of gene flow among these three closely related species.

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