scholarly journals Does Foraging Behaviour Affect Female Mate Preferences and Pair Formation in Captive Zebra Finches?

PLoS ONE ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 5 (12) ◽  
pp. e14340 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neeltje J. Boogert ◽  
Cavina Bui ◽  
Krista Howarth ◽  
Luc-Alain Giraldeau ◽  
Louis Lefebvre
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Mate Preferences ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Female Mate

scholarly journals Fluctuating mate preferences in a marine fish

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Topi K. Lehtonen ◽  
Bob B. M. Wong ◽  
Kai Lindström
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Variation ◽  
Marine Fish ◽  
Female Choice ◽  
Mate Preferences ◽  
Female Mate ◽  
Sexual Ornaments ◽  
Pomatoschistus Minutus ◽  
Sexual Traits ◽  
Mature Fish ◽  
Average Size

According to theory, directional female choice for male sexual ornaments is expected to erode underlying genetic variation. Considerable attention, in this regard, has been given to understanding the ubiquity of heritable genetic variation in both female choice and male sexual traits. One intriguing possibility emerging from this work is that persistent genetic variation could be maintained, over time, by variation in female mate preferences. Here, we report the results of a four-year study showing significant year-to-year fluctuations in mate preferences in a small marine fish, the sand goby, Pomatoschistus minutus . Although the average size of mature fish varied across years, we were unable to find direct evidence linking this variation to differences in female preferences among years. Our results, nevertheless, underscore the importance of temporal fluctuations in female mate preferences, as these can have important consequences for understanding variation in sexual traits and the intensity of sexual selection.

Effects of Pair Bond and Presence of Conspecifics On Singing in Captive Zebra Finches

Behaviour ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 134 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 127-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Zann ◽  
Andrew M. Dunn
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
First Generation ◽  
Pair Formation ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Close Proximity ◽  
Pair Mating ◽  
Close Range ◽  
Extra Pair Mating ◽  
Territorial Function

AbstractUndirected Song is commonly performed in wild and captive zebra finches and is typically given by males partly isolated from other members of the flock or colony. It has no territorial function nor it is used during precoital courtship; its frequency varies strongly among individuals. However, its rate of performance is severely limited by the close proximity of conspecifics, and this study investigated what social factors are responsible for this constraint in first-generation offspring of wild-caught zebra finches. The close presence of females caused a greater reduction in singing than did that of males. Familiarity between companions and the singer was also a factor that reduced the rate of singing. The more familiar the singer became with a female the more often he would sing in her presence, whereas the opposite occurred with males - singing was more prevalent with strangers than with familiar companions. Pair formation reduced a singer's sensitivity to inhibitory factors associated with the close proximity of conspecifics. Simple visual and auditory contact with a conspecific was not sufficient to constrain Undirected Singing, but intense, close range interactions appear to be necessary. It is hypothesised that Undirected Singing is used to attract females for pair formation or extra-pair mating, but the close proximity of male companions and/or the mate hampers this. However, in a competitive mate choice experiment there was no significant correlation between the rate at which a male gave Undirected Song and order of the pair formation. This suggests that Undirected Singing may not be crucial in the ultimate choice of a mate, but it may still be a useful cue at the outset of pair formation.

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