Function of courtship feeding in the Bull-headed Shrike,Lanius bucephalus

This paper presents descriptions of the calls and visual displays of the cardinal, Richmondena cardinalis, and suggests some motivational factors behind the displays. Of the several calls, some occur in highly specific situations as exemplified by the piping call of the male during courtship feeding. Others occur in more than one context, an example being the chitter call used in intense situations of agonism or alarm. In agonistic encounters, several calls of similar structure occur together.Among the displays the most interesting are those used in courtship, namely, song-flight, song-dance, lopsided, and courtship-feeding displays. All of them share components with non-display actions, but the motivations behind them appear to be complex.The displays of the cardinal are similar in some cases to those of other richmondenine finches and to those of birds in the related subfamilies Emberizinae and Carduelinae.

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COURTSHIP FEEDING AND THE FITNESS OF FEMALE KATYDIDS (ORTHOPTERA: TETTIGONIIDAE)

Evolution ◽

10.1111/j.1558-5646.1988.tb04159.x ◽

1988 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 545-555 ◽

Cited By ~ 59

Author(s):

Darryl T. Gwynne

Keyword(s):

Courtship Feeding

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Demand Behavior: A New Interpretation of Courtship Feeding

The Condor ◽

10.2307/1367395 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 82 (3) ◽

pp. 291 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Susan M. Smith

Keyword(s):

Courtship Feeding ◽

New Interpretation

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Benefits of Courtship-Feeding for Rifleman (Acanthisitta Chloris) Parents

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853989x00295 ◽

1989 ◽

Vol 109 (3-4) ◽

pp. 303-318 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Greg Sherley

Keyword(s):

Egg Laying ◽

Early Season ◽

Food Items ◽

Total Food Intake ◽

Energy Demands ◽

Pair Bonds ◽

Courtship Feeding ◽

Total Food ◽

First Clutch ◽

Maintenance Requirements

Abstract1. Courtship-feeding was studied in riflemen (Acanthisitta chloris) in a population at Kaikoura, South Island, New Zealand between 1982 and 1984. The proportion of the food males collected which was donated to his mate was calculated and what proportion of the female's diet this represented. This information revealed that males made a significant early season contribution to parental care. 2. Allied information collected during the pre-lay and egg-laying periods included the time to form eggs, laying interval and clutch size. 3. Courtship-feeding in riflemen involved no ceremony. 4. Copulation attempts did not correspond with bouts courtship-feeding or the peak of courtship-feeding. 5. Pairs spent 91.2% of daylight hours in each other's company, which facilitated coursthip-feeding. 6. Food items delivered in courtship-feeding were significantly larger than those eaten by males or females while foraging for themselves, and larger food items were consistently offered throughout the pre-laying and egg-laying periods. 7. The peak in the volume of food delivered to the female occurred about 3.5 days after the first egg was laid. 8. Overall the male contributed 42% of the food he gathered to the female and this comprised 35% of her total food intake. 9. Females fed themselves enough food to meet maintenance requirements and the extra required for oogenesis was received from the male through courtship-feeding and any reserves stored by the female. 10. Riflemen laid eggs every 48 hours which probably reduced peak energy demands during oogenesis. 11. Courtship-feeding was not associated with second clutches which were significantly smaller than the first clutch laid and reared in a season. 12. Incubation occurred after the last egg was laid but was sometimes delayed. During the delay courtship-feeding continued until incubation started. 13. Courtship-feeding represents a significant early season investment by male riflemen in their offspring which probably allows time to rear two broods thereby improving both parents' productivity. Such early season investment might influence sexual selection towards stable, monogamous pair bonds.

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