The kinds of traits involved in male--male competition: a comparison of plumage, behavior, and body size in quail

Julie C. Hagelin

Behavioral Ecology, 2002, vol. 13, issue 1, 32-41

Abstract: I compared the role of ornate plumage, behavior, and body size during male--male competition in two species of New World quail. Gambel's quail (Callipepla gambelii) is a highly ornate and dichromatic species, whereas scaled quail (C. squamata) is unornamented and monochromatic. During paired contests between unfamiliar males, high rates of testosterone-mediated behaviors (tidbitting, calling) and large body size (mass, tarsus, and tail length) corresponded to winners. In the highly ornate Gambel's quail, male head plumes also influenced the outcome of contests. Plume enhancement made Gambel's quail more likely to win contests, whereas plume removal made males more likely to lose. Plume position also reflected male status. Winning males erected plumes, whereas losers frequently flattened them. Some plumage ornaments, such as belly patches, did not play a primary role during male contests. Unlike static ornaments, head plumes are highly modifiable and likely signal immediate information regarding a male's intent, similar to a coverable badge. Combined, intrasexual selection favored dynamic traits (fast display rates, modifiable ornaments) and static traits (body size) as indicators of male condition or motivation. In scaled quail only, male size was favored both by male--male competition and female choice. Accordingly, the degree of size dimorphism (tarsus length) is greater in scaled than in Gambel's quail. The frequency of overt aggression (chases, pecks, displacement) also differed between species. Gambel's quail were very aggressive, and subordinates often challenged their opponents. In contrast, scaled quail were less aggressive, and subordinates rarely disputed rank. Interspecific comparison indicated differences in the maintenance of male status and possibly in the honesty of signaling. Both appear to be related to differences in social system. Copyright 2002.

Keywords: behavior; Callipepla gambelii; Callipepla squamata; male--male competition; plumage ornaments; quail; sexual selection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2002
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/ (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:beheco:v:13:y:2002:i:1:p:32-41

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://academic.oup.com/journals

Access Statistics for this article

Behavioral Ecology is currently edited by Louise Barrett

More articles in Behavioral Ecology from International Society for Behavioral Ecology Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Oxford University Press ().