Journal article
Song repertoire size, not territory location, predicts reproductive success and territory tenure in a migratory songbird
Canadian Journal of Zoology, Vol.93(8), pp.627-633
2015
Abstract
In territorial animals occupying environments that vary in quality over the landscape, high-quality individuals are predicted to monopolize high-quality territories. Thus, in many cases it may be difficult to disentangle the relative effects of individual quality from those of territory quality on long-term fitness. We used a 9-year field data set from a migratory population of Eastern Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia melodia (A. Wilson, 1810)) to evaluate the relative contributions of male song quality (as measured by song repertoire size) and territory location to fitness components including annual reproductive success, overwinter return rates, and between-year territory tenure. Song repertoire size did not predict territory location, allowing us to evaluate territory location and song quality separately. Song repertoire size, but not territory location, predicted annual reproductive success. Moreover, males with larger repertoires moved smaller distances between subsequent breeding seasons, suggesting more successful territory tenure. There was no effect of either repertoire size or territory location on overwinter return. We conclude that intrinsic male phenotype, indicated by song repertoire size, is an important predictor of male fitness, independent of breeding-territory location in this migratory population, and that the value of specific territories may depend largely on previous experience. © 2015, National Research Council of Canada. All rights reserved.
Details
- Title
- Song repertoire size, not territory location, predicts reproductive success and territory tenure in a migratory songbird
- Authors
- Dominique A Potvin (Author) - University of Western Ontario, CanadaP W Crawford (Author) - Queen's University, CanadaS A MacDougall-Shackleton (Author) - University of Western Ontario, CanadaE A MacDougall-Shackleton (Author) - University of Western Ontario, Canada
- Publication details
- Canadian Journal of Zoology, Vol.93(8), pp.627-633
- Publisher
- N R C Research Press
- Date published
- 2015
- DOI
- 10.1139/cjz-2015-0039
- ISSN
- 0008-4301
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99450923302621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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- Domestic collaboration
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- Web Of Science research areas
- Zoology
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