Song as an attractant for male and female European starlings, and the influence of song complexity on their response

Abstract

We tested the hypothesis that song attracts females and repels males in the European starling. We broadcast recorded song from speakers attached to nestboxes, while paired boxes with silent speakers served as controls. As predicted, females were attracted to the 'song' boxes. Contrary to prediction, males were also attracted to the 'song' boxes. Singing by male starlings may be costly because it attracts competitors for limited nesting sites, but the cost cannot be avoided due to the need to attract a mate. In a second experiment 'simple' song (composed of 20 different phrase types) and ' complex' song (40 phrase types) were played simultaneously. More males were captured at boxes where 'simple' song was played. Song complexity may function as an indicator of male quality and be used by male starlings to assess potential competitors.

Green nesting material has a function in mate attraction in the European starling

“…For the paired males, all experiments were performed on day 6 of incubation, when males are still capable of attracting a secondary mate (e.g. Eens et al 1990Eens et al , 1991Mountjoy & Lemon 1991;Pinxten & Eens 1998;Komdeur et al 2002). To test the reaction of paired males, we placed the cage under an empty nestbox G6 m from the one inhabited by the paired male, a distance at which male starlings may attract additional females to a nestbox (Sandell & Smith 1996.…”

“…Observations of the response of free-living males started after the first appearance of the male within 5 m of the cage and lasted 30 min. Data were collected using a fixed interval sampling method (Martin & Bateson 1986) and included the carrying of green material into the nestbox and song with 'wing-waving', because this song type plays a role in mate attraction (Feare 1984;Mountjoy & Lemon 1991;Eens et al 1993). Experiments were conducted from 0900 to 1215 hours.…”

“…The frequency of carrying green material was positively correlated with singing time. Singing is already known to have a function in territoriality, but is thought to be even more important in mate attraction (Feare 1984;Mountjoy & Lemon 1991;Eens et al 1993).…”

Lesions to the medial preoptic nucleus differentially affect singing and nest box-directed behaviors within and outside of the breeding season in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

“…Unpaired spring males that have acquired nest sites (or nest boxes) respond to females by singing at extremely high rates, primarily from a nest box, gathering nest material, and wing waving (reviewed in Eens, 1997). Females preferentially approach nest boxes broadcasting conspecific song compared to no song and are more likely to enter nest boxes broadcasting complex song compared to simple song (Mountjoy & Lemon, 1991). After pairing, males reduce song production, generally restricting periods of singing to immediately prior to copulation (Eens, Pinxten, & Verheyen, 1990;Eens, Pinxten, & Verheyen, 1993;Eens, Pinxten, & Verheyen, 1994) or to periods when the mate is absent (Cuthill & Hindmarsh, 1985).…”

Song competition changes the brain and behavior of a male songbird

“…In European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris L.), males sing from nesting cavities, thereby attracting not only females for mating purposes but also other males, which may compete with the singer for the cavity (Mountjoy and Lemon, 1991). Starling song length positively correlates with the singer's reproductive success (Mountjoy and Lemon, 1996), immunocompetence (Duffy and Ball, 2002) and age (Feare, 1984).…”