Sexual Preferences of Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds (Molothrus Ater) for Perched Song Repertoires

Hosoi, S. Aki; Rothstein, Stephen I.; O'Loghlen, Adrian L.

doi:10.1642/0004-8038(2005)122[0082:spofbc]2.0.co;2

Cited by 7 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…Older males in most species are generally considered to be of higher average genetic quality than younger males simply because they have survived for longer [54] , [60] , although this assertion has been challenged [61] . Furthermore, field and lab studies indicated that female cowbirds' preference for adult mates is, at least in part, influenced by differences between adult and yearling song repertoires [11] , [21] , [59] , [62] . Adult males have larger repertoires of perched song types than yearlings and the vast majority of the adult song types are shared with other adults resident in a local population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Less Is Best: Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds Prefer Less Intense Male Displays

O'Loghlen

Rothstein²

2012

PLoS ONE

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Sexual selection theory predicts that females should prefer males with the most intense courtship displays. However, wing-spread song displays that male brown-headed cowbirds (Molothrus ater) direct at females are generally less intense than versions of this display that are directed at other males. Because male-directed displays are used in aggressive signaling, we hypothesized that females should prefer lower intensity performances of this display. To test this hypothesis, we played audiovisual recordings showing the same males performing both high intensity male-directed and low intensity female-directed displays to females (N = 8) and recorded the females' copulation solicitation display (CSD) responses. All eight females responded strongly to both categories of playbacks but were more sexually stimulated by the low intensity female-directed displays. Because each pair of high and low intensity playback videos had the exact same audio track, the divergent responses of females must have been based on differences in the visual content of the displays shown in the videos. Preferences female cowbirds show in acoustic CSD studies are correlated with mate choice in field and captivity studies and this is also likely to be true for preferences elucidated by playback of audiovisual displays. Female preferences for low intensity female-directed displays may explain why male cowbirds rarely use high intensity displays when signaling to females. Repetitive high intensity displays may demonstrate a male's current condition and explain why these displays are used in male-male interactions which can escalate into physical fights in which males in poorer condition could be injured or killed. This is the first study in songbirds to use audiovisual playbacks to assess how female sexual behavior varies in response to variation in a male visual display.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When Less Is Best: Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds Prefer Less Intense Male Displays

O'Loghlen

Rothstein²

2012

PLoS ONE

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“…Male song types may vary in structural (e.g., number and elements arrangement) and acoustic characteristics (e.g., frequency range) among individuals of the same population (Kroosdma et al 2002;Barrantes et al 2008). Large repertoires and individual song arrays in song-learning birds apparently evolved through sexual selection by intra-sexual competition and female choice (Peek 1972;Smith 1979;Fedy and Stutchbury 2005;Walcott et al 2006), and in many species females assess the quality of their potential mates via song (Capp 1992;Andersson 1994;Goodson and Adkins-Regan 1997;Ballentine et al 2003;King et al 2003;Dolby et al 2005;Garamszegi et al 2005;Hosoi et al 2005;Spencer et al 2005;Tomaszycki and Adkins-Regan 2005;Kipper et al 2006;Ballentine 2009).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Characteristics of male Spot-bellied Bobwhite (Colinus leucopogon) song during territory establishment

Sandoval

Barrantes

2011

J Ornithol

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In song-learning birds, male song shows a large inter-individual variation that frequently plays an important role in intra-and inter-sexual selection. In other bird groups, such as Galliformes, song learning is absent, and inter-individual song variation is small and expected to play a minor, if any, role in sexual contexts. In the Spot-bellied Bobwhite (Colinus leucopogon) we found that many males have a unique set of song features, and our results suggest that female mate choice in this species is based in part on male song traits. Most paired males in our study had longer songs. In addition, these males established territories in the middle of the breeding season, soon after the onset of the rainy season when increases in herbaceous cover and food resources would likely increase offspring and adult survival.

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“…Across avian species, song repertoire sizes can range from just a single song type to a seemingly infinite number of song types produced via mimicry or improvisation (Krebs and Kroodsma 1980, MacDougall-Shackleton 1997, Catchpole and Slater 2003. Decades of research have shown that large song repertoires may signal breeding quality and are attractive to potential mates in many species (Catchpole 1986, Hasselquist et al 1996, Hosoi et al 2005, Byers and Kroodsma 2009, Soma and Garamszegi 2011. Similarly, song repertoires may provide information about an individual singer's quality in contest situations, making birds with large repertoires more effective at defending resources (Krebs 1977, Yasukawa et al 1980, Hiebert et al 1989, Lapierre et al 2011.…”

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Rock wrens preferentially use song types that improve long distance signal transmission during natural singing bouts

Benedict

Warning

2017

Journal of Avian Biology

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When animals are capable of producing variable signals they may preferentially use some signal types over others. Among songbirds, individuals are known to alter song type form and usage patterns in contest and mating situations, but studies have not examined how song choice improves signal efficacy during broadcast song. For this study we investigated rock wren Salpinctes obsoletus song type use rates during natural singing bouts. We tested three hypotheses for adaptive song use during broadcast song: 1) birds improve signal content by increasing the use of high quality songs, 2) birds optimize for signal propagation by preferentially using songs that transmit well, and 3) birds maintain energy by reducing the use of costly songs. The study included 19 058 songs sung by 12 individuals, each of which had a measured song repertoire of between 52 and 117 song types which were produced at highly variable rates. Results indicated that rock wrens did not preferentially sing song types with shorter durations or fewer frequency switches, as would be expected if they selected song types to minimize delivery costs. They also did not favor songs with more rapid trills or more frequency switches, as would be expected if they adjusted song use primarily to indicate quality. Focal birds did preferentially sing significantly longer songs with lower bandwidths, lower frequencies, and slower trill rates. Results suggest that natural broadcast singing patterns are shaped more by the benefits of long distance transmission than by the benefits of advertising performance ability or the costs of song production.

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Sexual Preferences of Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds (Molothrus Ater) for Perched Song Repertoires

Cited by 7 publications

References 37 publications

When Less Is Best: Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds Prefer Less Intense Male Displays

When Less Is Best: Female Brown-Headed Cowbirds Prefer Less Intense Male Displays

Characteristics of male Spot-bellied Bobwhite (Colinus leucopogon) song during territory establishment

Rock wrens preferentially use song types that improve long distance signal transmission during natural singing bouts

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