Non-breeding season events influence sexual selection in a long-distance migratory bird

The study of sexual selection has traditionally focused on events and behaviours immediately surrounding copulation. In this study, we examine whether carry-over effects from the non-breeding season can influence the process of sexual selection in a long-distance migratory bird, the American redstar...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the Royal Society. B, Biological sciences Biological sciences, 2009-05, Vol.276 (1662), p.1619-1626
Main Authors: Reudink, Matthew W, Marra, Peter P, Kyser, T. Kurt, Boag, Peter T, Langin, Kathryn M, Ratcliffe, Laurene M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
American Redstart
Animal Migration
Animals
Aves
Aviculture
Bird nesting
Breeding
Breeding seasons
Breeding sites
Canada
Carry-Over
Ecosystem
Extra-Pair Paternity
Female
Male
Male animals
Mating behavior
Mating Preference, Animal
Non-Breeding
Passeriformes - genetics
Passeriformes - physiology
Polygyny
Population Dynamics
Reproductive success
Seasons
Setophaga ruticilla
Sexual Selection
Songbirds
Time Factors
Wildlife habitats
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Summary:The study of sexual selection has traditionally focused on events and behaviours immediately surrounding copulation. In this study, we examine whether carry-over effects from the non-breeding season can influence the process of sexual selection in a long-distance migratory bird, the American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla). Previous work on American redstarts demonstrated that overwintering in a high-quality habitat influences spring departure dates from the wintering grounds, advances arrival dates on the breeding grounds and increases apparent reproductive success. We show that the mixed-mating strategy of American redstarts compounds the benefits of overwintering in high-quality winter habitats. Males arriving to breed in Canada from high-quality winter habitats arrive earlier than males from poor-quality habitats, resulting in a lower probability of paternity loss, a higher probability of achieving polygyny and ultimately higher realized reproductive success. Such results suggest that the process of sexual selection may be influenced by events interacting throughout the annual cycle.
ISSN:0962-8452
1471-2954
DOI:10.1098/rspb.2008.1452