Summary
The initial stage of pair formation of the pied and the collared flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca and F. albicollis) was simulated in a field experiment. Male dummies positioned near nest boxes and “singing” by means of tape-recorded song from loudspeakers offered prospecting females a nest box combined with an automatic trap. An unequivocal demonstration of female arrival at the male's territory was obtained by the trapping of the female. Control nest-box traps were provided with silent dummies. Factors other than male song causing female attraction were controlled by a daily switch of the position of “singing” and silent dummies. Nine out of ten females were caught in nest-box traps with “singing” dummies (one-tailed binomial test, P=0.011). The result supports the hypothesis that male song functions in mate attraction. This hypothesis has never previously been tested in field experiments although circumstantial evidence for it has been available.
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Eriksson, D., Wallin, L. Male bird song attracts females — a field experiment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 19, 297–299 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300645
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300645