scholarly journals Copulation Behavior, Mate Guarding, and Paternity in the Semipalmated Plover

The Condor ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 102 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Zharikov ◽  
Erica Nol
Keyword(s):  
Large Time ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Visual Contact ◽  
Energy Investment ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Multilocus Dna Fingerprinting ◽  
Clutch Initiation ◽  
Charadrius Semipalmatus ◽  
Copulation Behavior

Abstract We present behavioral observations and multilocus DNA fingerprinting data on Semipalmated Plovers (Charadrius semipalmatus) breeding in the sub-Arctic. We predicted that, where a large time/energy investment by males during incubation and chick-rearing is crucial for successful reproduction, both extra-pair copulation and fertilization rates would be low. Extra-pair copulations were infrequent (7% of total copulations), as were within pair copulations (0.44 hr−1). Copulations occurred, on average 6.2 days prior to clutch initiation. Males spent 64% of their time in visual contact with their mates. Mate guarding during the laying period was significantly more pronounced in coastal neighborhoods of breeding birds than among solitary-nesting pairs. Extra-pair fertilizations occurred in 4% of families resulting in an extra-pair paternity rate of 4.7%.

Effects of Supplemental Food on the Behaviour and Paternity Status of Male Indigo Buntings (Passerina CyaNea)

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 67-73
Author(s):  
Brad T. McLeod ◽  
Gary Ritchison
Keyword(s):  
Time Budget ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Breeding Birds ◽  
Food Supplementation ◽  
Time Budgets ◽  
Blood Samples ◽  
Supplemental Food ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Passerina Cyanea ◽  
And Control

Breeding is energetically costly and, if energy-limited, birds may alter their time budgets, spending less time engaged in some activities and more time in others. Investigators who have provided breeding birds with supplemental food have noted changes in time budgets, but the extent and types of changes have been found to vary among species. Our objective was to determine how food supplementation might influence the time budgets and paternity status of male Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea). We studied Indigo Buntings from 8 May to 15 August 2009 in Madison County, Kentucky. Territories of male Indigo Buntings (n=30) were randomly assigned as either food supplemented (n=8) or controls (n=22). During time-budget observations, all behaviours were noted. To determine paternity status, blood samples were collected from adults and nestlings at 16 nests. Males with feeders in their territories spent significantly less time foraging and more time vocalising (chip notes) than males without feeders. Time spent singing and mate guarding by treatment and control males did not differ. Differences in the proportion of extra-pair young did not differ between nests in territories with and without supplemental food. Our results suggest that, when provided with supplemental food, male Indigo Buntings spend less time foraging and more time engaged in other activities. However, neither the presence of supplemental food nor differences in the behaviour of males in food-supplemented versus non-supplemented territories affected rates of extra-pair paternity.

Extra-pair paternity and mate-guarding behaviour in the brown thornbill

2002 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 565 ◽  
Author(s):  
David J. Green ◽  
Anne Peters ◽  
Andrew Cockburn
Keyword(s):  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Male Size ◽  
Fertile Period ◽  
Young Males ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Multilocus Dna Fingerprinting ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Older Males

We used multilocus DNA fingerprinting to assess parentage in the brown thornbill, Acanthiza pusilla, a socially monogamous Australian passerine. Extra-pair paternity was uncommon (6.2% of 178 offspring; 11.9% of 67 broods) and there was no evidence of intra-specific brood parasitism. Extra-pair paternity was limited because pairs spent more time together when females were fertile and males were able to evict intruding males before they could approach the female. Males were responsible for the close proximity of partners during the fertile period. Mate guarding therefore appears to be a male tactic aimed at preventing female infidelity rather than a cooperative behaviour of the pair aimed at preventing extra-pair copulations and/or female harassment. Females did not attempt to escape male guarding and were rarely observed to solicit copulations from intruding males. Nevertheless, females paired to smaller and younger males were more likely to cuckold their mates than females paired to larger and older males. This suggests that females may be more likely to seek or accept extra-pair matings when paired to small, young males or that old, large males are better at preventing their mates from engaging in extra-pair copulations. We found that male age but not male size influences mate-guarding behaviour. Older males tended to respond more aggressively to intruders. We therefore speculate that the relationship between male size/age and extra-pair paternity in brown thornbills may arise because female thornbills prefer large males as mates but are unable to express this preference as easily when paired to older males.

scholarly journals Genetic monogamy despite frequent extrapair copulations in “strictly monogamous” wild jackdaws

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 247-260
Author(s):  
Lisa F Gill ◽  
Jaap van Schaik ◽  
Auguste M P von Bayern ◽  
Manfred L Gahr
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Behavior ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Parentage Analysis ◽  
Spatiotemporal Pattern ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Genetic Monogamy ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
The Social ◽  
Male Mate ◽  
Copulation Behavior

Abstract “Monogamy” refers to different components of pair exclusiveness: the social pair, sexual partners, and the genetic outcome of sexual encounters. Avian monogamy is usually defined socially or genetically, whereas quantifications of sexual behavior remain scarce. Jackdaws (Corvus monedula) are considered a rare example of strict monogamy in songbirds, with lifelong pair bonds and little genetic evidence for extrapair (EP) offspring. Yet jackdaw copulations, although accompanied by loud copulation calls, are rarely observed because they occur visually concealed inside nest cavities. Using full-day nest-box video surveillance and on-bird acoustic bio-logging, we directly observed jackdaw sexual behavior and compared it to the corresponding genetic outcome obtained via molecular parentage analysis. In the video-observed nests, we found genetic monogamy but frequently detected forced EP sexual behavior, accompanied by characteristic male copulation calls. We, thus, challenge the long-held notion of strict jackdaw monogamy at the sexual level. Our data suggest that male mate guarding and frequent intrapair copulations during the female fertile phase, as well as the forced nature of the copulations, could explain the absence of EP offspring. Because EP copulation behavior appeared to be costly for both sexes, we suggest that immediate fitness benefits are an unlikely explanation for its prevalence. Instead, sexual conflict and dominance effects could interact to shape the spatiotemporal pattern of EP sexual behavior in this species. Our results call for larger-scale investigations of jackdaw sexual behavior and parentage and highlight the importance of combining social, sexual, and genetic data sets for a more complete understanding of mating systems.

scholarly journals The couple that sings together stays together: duetting, aggression and extra-pair paternity in a promiscuous bird species

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 20151025 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel T. Baldassarre ◽  
Emma I. Greig ◽  
Michael S. Webster
Keyword(s):  
Physical Aggression ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Pair Bond ◽  
Behavioural Consistency ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Paternity Assurance

When individuals mate outside the pair bond, males should employ behaviours such as aggression or vocal displays (e.g. duetting) that help assure paternity of the offspring they care for. We tested whether male paternity was associated with aggression or duetting in the red-backed fairy-wren, a species exhibiting high rates of extra-pair paternity. During simulated territorial intrusions, aggression and duetting were variable among and repeatable within males, suggesting behavioural consistency of individuals. Males with quicker and stronger duet responses were cuckolded less often than males with slower and weaker responses. In contrast, physical aggression was not correlated with male paternity. These results suggest that either acoustic mate guarding or male–female vocal negotiations via duetting lead to increased paternity assurance, whereas physical aggression does not.

Duetting correlates with territory quality and reproductive success in a suboscine bird with low extra-pair paternity

The Auk ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 136 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Diniz ◽  
Regina H Macedo ◽  
Michael S Webster
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Territory Quality ◽  
Territory Defense ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Female Song ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Low Rate

AbstractDuetting has been intensively studied, but we still have little consensus about its fitness consequences. Some studies suggest that duetting functions in acoustic mate guarding to prevent cuckoldry (acoustic paternity guarding hypothesis), whereas other studies argue that duetting is a cooperative behavior to defend common resources (territory defense hypothesis). We tested these 2 hypotheses by investigating the relationships among song traits, extra-pair paternity, territory quality and reproductive success in the Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus), a Neotropical, socially monogamous bird. We found a low rate of extra-pair paternity (3.33% of 120 offspring and 6.52% of 46 broods), which suggests that acoustic paternity guarding is probably not a primary function of duetting behavior in this species. Female song output was positively correlated with territory quality, measured as the availability of territory foraging patches. The number of young that survived post-fledging was positively correlated with duet duration, but not with territory features. Our results support the territory defense hypothesis, suggesting that female song in duets might be used in the defense of food resources within territories. Our study provides the first evidence that song traits correlate with both territory features and reproductive success in a duetting species.

Incomplete Female Knowledge of Male Quality May Explain Variation in Extra-Pair Paternity in Birds

Behaviour ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 134 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 353-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan T. Lifjeld ◽  
Tore Slagsvold
Keyword(s):  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Male Quality ◽  
Essential Information ◽  
Genetic Quality ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Early Arrival ◽  
The Social ◽  
Male Mate

AbstractWe present and discuss an hypothesis to explain inter- and intraspecific variation in levels of extra-pair paternity (EPP) in birds. In species with biparental care, females may be willing to engage in extra-pair copulation (EPC) to improve the genetic quality of the offspring. However, it may be costly to sample males and difficult to assess their genetic quality. Hence, we suggest that variation occurs in the extent of such knowledge between females, causing variation in the extent to which they are willing to engage in EPC. From the hypothesis we present nine predictions on occurrence of EPP in birds, e.g. cuckolders should mainly be resident, close neighbours; rate of EPP should be positively related to breeding density, to rate of male intrusion, to female opportunity to assess male quality from competitive interactions between males, to early arrival time of females relative to time of egg laying, and to breeding synchrony. Finally, we discuss implications on male behaviour. We suggest a new function of male mate guarding, namely that mate guarding is a means to prevent the social mate from obtaining essential information about the quality of potential extra-pair mates.

scholarly journals Report of an extra-pair copulation in the Rufous Hornero, Furnarius rufus (Aves: Furnariidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 61 ◽  
pp. e20216167
Author(s):  
Pedro Diniz ◽  
Carlos Biagolini-Jr.
Keyword(s):  
Food Access ◽  
Mate Guarding ◽  
Breeding Biology ◽  
Territorial Male ◽  
Aggressive Interaction ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Monogamous Species ◽  
Bird Breeding ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Low Levels

In the last decade, studies in bird breeding biology have shown that infidelity is prevalent in socially monogamous species. Here, we describe an extra-pair copulation (EPC) event in the Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus), a socially monogamous bird with year-round territoriality and low levels of extra-pair paternity. Before the EPC, a within-pair copulation (WPC) occurred inside the pair’s territory. The WPC occurred on the ground and between a banded male (ca. 6 years-old) and an unbanded female. Ten minutes later this breeding pair invaded a neighboring territory, presumably to forage. The territorial male was chased back to its territory by an unbanded male neighbor after being detected. The male neighbor was paired with an unbanded female that did not participate in the aggressive interaction. When flying back to its territory the male neighbor copulated with the territorial female on the ground (ie. EPC). The territorial male flew, vocalized, and perched above the male neighbor, interrupting the EPC. The aggressive interaction then ceased as each pair resumed foraging in their respective territories. These observations suggest that Rufous Horneros can use EPC to obtain immediate benefits (food access in a neighbor’s territory). Moreover, WPC may be detected by neighbors and physical mate guarding and/or frequent WPC may be necessary to prevent EPC in the Rufous Hornero.

Infants’ Motor Activity During a Mother–Infant Interaction Alternating Silent and Singing Phases

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 426-436
Author(s):  
Marianne Jover ◽  
Mathilde Cellier ◽  
Celine Scola
Keyword(s):  
Motor Activity ◽  
Large Time ◽  
Interindividual Variability ◽  
Time Windows ◽  
Head Movements ◽  
Dyadic Interaction ◽  
General Motor ◽  
Visual Contact ◽  
Social Stimuli ◽  
Attentional Engagement

Infants interact with their caregivers, using visual contact, smiling, vocalizations, and motor activity. Most of the studies on infant motor activity during dyadic interaction provided qualitative microanalyses. Few documented changes in infants’ general motor activity when facing social stimuli, but the movement analyses were carried out over large time windows. Following on from a previous study, we sought to explore rapid variations in motor activity during an interaction between mothers and their 6-month-old infants. The interaction featured short alternating silent and singing phases. Results showed that infants’ head, hand, and foot motor activity was related to their mothers’ behavior. Head movements, in particular, decreased during the songs and increased between them. The interindividual variability was strong at the hand and foot level and a k-mean cluster analysis showed three different group tendencies. Head stillness certainly expressed the infants’ attentional engagement in the interaction. Hand and foot movements appeared to be more variable and, at the foot level, presumably depended on the mother–infant communicative routines. Infants’ general motor activity could be an indicator of the infant’s engagement and reflect the dyad’s communicative routines during interactions.

scholarly journals High Frequency of Extra-Pair Paternity in Eastern Kingbirds

The Condor ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 103 (4) ◽  
pp. 845-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane L. Rowe ◽  
Michael T. Murphy ◽  
Robert C. Fleischer ◽  
Paul G. Wolf
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Brood Parasitism ◽  
Conspecific Brood Parasitism ◽  
Electrophoretic Study ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Breeding Territory ◽  
Multilocus Dna Fingerprinting ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Tyrannus Tyrannus ◽  
Eastern Kingbird

Abstract Genetic parentage in the socially monogamous and territorial Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) was examined in a central New York population by multilocus DNA fingerprinting. Extra-pair young were identified in 60% (12 of 20) of nests. Of the 64 nestlings profiled, 42% were sired by extra-pair males, but no cases of conspecific brood parasitism were detected. These results are markedly different from a previous electrophoretic study of the same species in a Michigan population, which reported 39% of nestlings were unrelated to one (typically the mother, quasiparasitism) or both (conspecific brood parasitism) of the putative parents. In the New York population, extra-pair paternity was most common among females that returned to breed on a former territory. Among females that were new to a breeding territory, extra-pair paternity increased directly with breeding density. Although the power of the tests was low, neither breeding synchrony nor male experience with a breeding territory appeared to be associated with the occurrence of extra-pair young. Alta Frecuencia de Paternidad Extra-Pareja en Tyrannus tyrannus Resumen. Se examinó la paternidad genética de Tyrannus tyrannus, especie socialmente monógama y territorial, mediante la técnica de huellas dactilares genéticas de múltiples loci en una población de Nueva York central. En el 60% (12 de 20) de los nidos se identificaron juveniles con origen extra-pareja. De los 64 pichones investigados, el 42% fue engendrado por machos fuera de la pareja, aunque no se detectaron nidadas con parasitismo conespecífico. Estos resultados son considerablemente diferentes a los obtenidos en un estudio previo para la misma especie en una población de Michigan, el cual reportó que el 39% de los pichones no estaban relacionados con uno (tipicamente a la madre, cuasiparasitismo) o ambos (parasitismo de nido conespecífico) padres putativos. En la población de Nueva York, la paternidad extra-pareja fue más común entre hembras que retornaron a criar a territorios que habían ocupado previamente. Entre las hembras que ocuparon por primera vez un territorio de cría, la paternidad extra-pareja aumentó directamente con la densidad de individuos reproductivos. A pesar que el poder del análisis fue bajo, ni la sincronía reproductiva, ni la experiencia de los machos en sus territorios de cria, parecen estar asociados a la ocurrencia de juveniles extra-pareja.

scholarly journals High level of extra-pair paternity in the socially monogamous Marsh Tits (Poecile palustris)

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Wang ◽  
Yanhui Wei ◽  
Lei Zhang ◽  
Yiting Jiang ◽  
Keke Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Asian Population ◽  
Liaoning Province ◽  
Extra Pair Paternity ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Pair Mating ◽  
Brachial Vein ◽  
Copulation Behavior ◽  
High Level ◽  
Extra Pair Mating

Abstract Background Extra-pair copulation behavior has been widely studied among socially monogamous birds. Many species revealed high rates of extra-pair paternity. But few of the studies have been carried out in the Asian population. Methods From 2012 to 2019, we explored the extra-pair paternity of Marsh Tits (Poecile palustris) in Xianrendong National Nature Reserve, Liaoning Province, China. During the study, adult Marsh Tits were captured with mist nets and parental birds, with nest-box traps. Blood samples were taken from the brachial vein. Parentage analyses were carried out using nine highly variable microsatellite loci through Cervus 3.0 software and maximum likelihood approach. Results Forty-nine offspring (15.08%) from 20 nests (45.45%) were the results of extra-pair fertilization out of a total of 325 offspring in 44 nests. The average extra-pair offspring ratio was 33.54%, with a set varying from 11.11 to 71.43%. Nine extra-pair fathers had been successfully identified, four of whom were the close neighbors of the focus nest while the nests of the remaining five were relatively far. No significant difference was found in the genetic similarity between the social and extra-pair mates of the female, nor in the heterozygosis among the maternal half-siblings. Conclusions In general, our study proved that the extra-pair paternity in Marsh Tits and its extra-pair mating is independent of the genetic compatibility hypothesis. This complements the understudied bird’s extra-pair paternity in Asian area and contributes to the comprehensive insight of birds’ extra-pair paternity behaviors.

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