Abstract
We tested whether the reproductive success of male red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) varied with male secondary sexual traits or with haematozoa prevalence, and whether these patterns were consistent with females preferring genetically superior males. We also determined whether the traits that correlated with male success on their own territories were also correlated with male success at siring young on other males' territories. Our analysis included data from a 6-year study involving 617 nestlings for which paternity was determined by DNA profiling. Larger males sired more young on their territories, principally because they obtained larger harems. The success of larger males at acquiring more mates did not appear to be a consequence of larger males holding larger or better-quality territories. Older and longer-lived males sired more young by extra-pair fertilizations. Larger males sired the most offspring overall (on territory + off territory). Variation in epaulet size and color, responses to male and female models, nest defence and parasitism was not correlated with male success either on or off their territories or overall. Male success in a given year was significantly correlated with success the previous year, as expected if females were selecting genetically superior males. The male that was by far the most successful individual in this study was highly consistent from year to year. Because male body size is positively correlated with survival in this population (although not within the sample of males included in this study), female preference for larger males may have reflected a general preference for males with superior survival ability. We propose that the direct advantage realized by older males in extra-pair matings might indicate that experience is important, such that experienced males are better at creating or exploiting the opportunities for extra-pair mating. This hypothesis is consistent with a pairwise analysis of cuckoldry that showed that cuckolders were most often older than the males they cuckolded.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Alatalo RV, Hoglund J, Lundberg A (1991) Lekking in the black grouse — a test of male viability. Nature 352:155–156
Beletsky LD, Orians GH (1989) Territoriality among red-winged blackbirds. III. Testing hypotheses of territorial dominance. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 24: 333–339
Bray O, Kennelly JJ, Guarino JL (1975) Fertility of eggs produced on territories of vasectomized red-winged blackbirds. Wilson Bull 87:187–195
Darwin C (1871) The descent of man and selection in relation to sex. Modern Library, New York
Eckert CG, Weatherhead PJ (1987a) Ideal dominance distributions: a test using red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 20:43–52
Eckert CG, Weatherhead PJ (1987b) Owners, floaters and competitive asymmetries among territorial red-winged blackbirds. Anim Behav 35:1317–1323
Eckert CG, Weatherhead PJ (1987c) Male characteristics, parental quality and the study of mate choice in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 20:35–42
Gibbs HL, Weatherhead PJ, Boag PT, White BN, Tabak LM, Hoysak DJ (1990) Realized reproductive success of polygynous red-winged blackbirds revealed by DNA markers. Science 250:1394–1397
Grafen A (1988) On the uses of data on lifetime reproductive success. In: Clutton-Brock TH (ed) Reproductive success. Chicago University Press, Chicago, pp 454–471
Gray EM (1994) The ecological and evolutionary significance of extra-pair copulations in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). PhD thesis, University of Washington, Seattle
Hamilton WD, Zuk M (1982) Heritable true fitness and bright birds: a role for parasites? Science 218:384–387
Hill GE, Montgomerie R, Roeder C, Boag PT (1994) Sexual selection and cuckoldry in a monogamous songbird: implications for sexual selection theory. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 35:193–199
Hoysak DJ, Weatherhead PJ (1991) Sampling blood from birds: a technique and an assessment of its effect. Condor 93: 746–752
Jeffreys AJ, Wilson V, Thein SL (1985) Hypervariable “minisatellite” regions in human DNA. Nature 314:67–73
Kempenaers B, Verheyen GR, Van den Broeck M, Burke T, Van Broeckhoven C, Dhondt AA (1992) Extra-pair paternity results from female preference for high quality males in the blue tit. Nature 357:494–496
Kirkpatrick M, Ryan MJ (1991) The evolution of mating preferences and the paradox of the lek. Nature 350:33–38
Metz KJ, Weatherhead PJ (1992) Seeing red: uncovering coverable badges in red-winged blackbirds. Anim Behav 43:223–229
Møller AP (1990) Fluctuating asymmetry in male sexual ornaments may reliably reveal male quality. Anim Behav 40:1185–1187
Monnett C, Rotterman LM, Worlein C, Halupka K (1984) Copulation patterns of red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). Am Nat 124:757–764
Orians GH (1969) On the evolution of mating systems in birds and mammals. Am Nat 103:589–603
Orians GH, Christman GM (1968) A comparative study of the behavior of red-winged, tricolored, and yellow-headed blackbirds. Univ Calif Publ Zool 84:1–81
Peek FW (1972) An experimental study of the territorial function of vocal and visual display in the male red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). Anim Behav 20:112–118
Petrie M (1992) Peacocks with low mating success are more likely to suffer predation. Anim Behav 44:585–586
Petrie M (1994) Improved growth and survival of offspring of peacocks with more elaborate trains. Nature 371:598–599
Petrie M, Lipsitch M (1994) Avian polygyny is most likely in populations with high variability in heritable male fitness. Proc R Soc Lond B 256:275–280
Searcy WA (1979) Morphological correlates of dominance in captive male red-winged blackbirds. Condor 81:417–420
Shin H-S, Bargiello TA, Clark BT, Jackson FR, Young MW (1985) An unusual coding sequence from a Drosophila clock gene is conserved in vertebrates. Nature 317:445–448
Shutler D, Weatherhead PJ (1991) Owner and floater red-winged blackbirds: determinants of status. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 28:235–241
Shutler D, Weatherhead PJ (1992) Basal song rate variation in red-winged blackbirds: sound and fury signifying nothing? Behav Ecol 2:123–132
Shutler D, Weatherhead PJ (1994) Movement patterns and territory acquisition by floater red-winged blackbirds. Can J Zool 72:712–720
Smith DG (1972) The role of the epaulets in the red-winged blackbird social system. Behaviour 41:251–268
Smithe FB (1975) Naturalist's color guide. American Museum of Natural History, New York
Weatherhead PJ (1990a) Secondary sexual traits, parasites, and polygyny in red-winged blackbirds, Agelaius phoeniceus. Behav Ecol 1:125–130
Weatherhead PJ (1990b) Nest defence as shareable paternal care in red-winged blackbirds. Anim Behav 39:1173–1178
Weatherhead PJ (1994) Mixed mating strategies by females may strengthen the sexy son hypothesis. Anim Behav 47: 1210–1211
Weatherhead PJ, Bennett GF (1991) Ecology of red-winged blackbird parasitism by haematozoa. Can J Zool 69:2352–2359
Weatherhead PJ, Clark RG (1994) Natural selection and sexual size dimorphism in red-winged blackbirds. Evolution 48:671–678
Weatherhead PJ, Robertson RJ (1977) Harem size, territory quality and reproductive success in the red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus). Can J Zool 55:1261–1267
Weatherhead PJ, Metz KJ, Bennett GF, Irwin RE (1993) Parasite faunas, testosterone and secondary sexual traits in male red-winged blackbirds. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 33:13–23
Weatherhead PJ, Montgomerie R, Gibbs HL, Boag PT (1994) The cost of extra-pair fertilizations to female red-winged blackbirds. Proc R See Lond B 258:315–320
Westneat DF (1992) Do female red-winged blackbirds engage in a mixed mating strategy? Ethology 92:7–28
Westneat DF (1993) Polygyny and extra-pair fertilisations in eastern red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus). Behav Ecol 4:49–60
Zuk M, Thornhill R, Ligon JD, Johnson K, Austad S, Ligon SH, Thornhill NW, Costin C (1990) The role of male ornaments and courtship behavior in female mate choice of red jungle fowl. Am Nat 136:459–473
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Communicated by R. Gibson
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Weatherhead, P.J., Boag, P.T. Pair and extra-pair mating success relative to male quality in red-winged blackbirds. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 37, 81–91 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164153
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00164153