Date of Award
2012
Publication Type
Master Thesis
Degree Name
M.Sc.
Department
Biological Sciences
Keywords
Animal behavior.
Supervisor
Doucet, StΘphanie (Biological Sciences)
Rights
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Mate choice, a complex searching and decision-making process, is relatively understudied. I explore the process of mate choice in lekking long-tailed manakins (Chiroxiphia linearis) using video recordings to determine male quality, and a novel radiotracking system to monitor female search behaviour. I report how females may play an important role in the evolution of cooperative display through their choices and behaviours during courtship. I show that females are more likely to copulate at leks with higher attendance and display effort, and more cooperative dance manoeuvres. I also characterize the complex mate searching strategies employed by females. I show that females visit an average of 4.02±0.42 leks when assessing mates, and also revisit higher quality leks multiple times. Overall, my thesis provides insight into mate choice in long-tailed manakins, revealing that females make complex decisions that have important fitness consequences, and that females may also influence the courtship behaviours of males.
Recommended Citation
Ward, Kara-Anne, "Female mate-searching strategies and behavioural correlates of copulation success in lekking long-tailed manakins (Chiroxiphia linearis)" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 301.
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/etd/301