Breeding strategy and morphological characters in an urban population of blackbirds, Turdus merula

Citation
B. Faivre et al., Breeding strategy and morphological characters in an urban population of blackbirds, Turdus merula, ANIM BEHAV, 61, 2001, pp. 969-974
Citations number
49
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences","Neurosciences & Behavoir
Journal title
ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR
ISSN journal
0003-3472 → ACNP
Volume
61
Year of publication
2001
Part
5
Pages
969 - 974
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-3472(200105)61:<969:BSAMCI>2.0.ZU;2-#
Abstract
Pairing patterns in monogamous birds are thought to be the consequence of m utual mate choice by males and females for characters linked to individual quality in the opposite sex. Although this may result in assortative pairin g for a single character, there may be no simple match between male and fem ale phenotype if the traits linked to individual quality are sex specific. For instance, in several passerine species, females tend to select males on the basis of territory quality or characters that may reflect health or vi gour, whereas males benefit from pairing with females in good condition tha t breed early because early breeding increases reproductive success. We inv estigated pairing patterns in an urban population of the sexually dimorphic European blackbird in relation to bill colour in males and body condition in females, over a 3-year period. Females breeding early were in significan tly better condition than those breeding late. The number of breeding attem pts per season was significantly positively correlated with female conditio n, while the number of fledglings reared by a female in a breeding season w as positively correlated with the number of breeding attempts, independentl y of female condition. Bill colour varied in males and was related to body weight, although not to condition. Female condition was correlated with mal e bill colour within pairs, with males showing more orange bills being pair ed to females in better condition. We discuss the observed pairing pattern in relation to individual or territory quality and to the constraints and c osts associated with reproduction in each sex. (C) 2001 The Association for the Study Animal Behaviour.