A poor-will in your living room: The Evolution of Avian Breeding Systems by J. David Ligon

Abstract

Oxford University Press, 1999. £65.00 hbk (xviii + 504 pages)ISBN 0 19 854913 XThe first question about a book with the word ‘avian’ in the title is: how ‘birdy’ is it? Ornithologists can be intimidatingly clannish, and in this era of biological integration and principles that transcend particular taxa, it is worth knowing whether such transcendence has made it into a current volume. Can people studying clams or carnations gain anything from reading it? Happily for most, the answer is that Ligon’s book on the breeding systems of birds is not too birdy at all. Birds have been the subject of so many studies in behavioral ecology for good reason; they are conspicuous, visually oriented and diurnal, and they have been the proving ground for many hypotheses about the evolution of reproductive behavior. The book takes advantage of this, using the diversity of avian behavior to explore all of the classic problems in sexual selection: mate choice, mate competition, the potential for speciation based on sexually selected traits, the evolution of parental care patterns, and more. Much of this is fine reading, even for novices to the field, although in a few places terms or taxonomic designations are used long before they are defined in the text.Since the seminal publications of Orians1xOn the evolution of mating systems in birds and mammals. Orians, G.H. Am. Nat. 1969; 103: 589–603CrossRefSee all References1, and Emlen and Oring2xEcology, sexual selection, and the evolution of mating systems. Emlen, S.T. and Oring, L.W. Science. 1977; 187: 215–223CrossRefSee all References2, it has become commonplace and, indeed, the standard, to consider ecology the foundation on which breeding systems are built. Therefore, it would have been easy to succumb to the desire to pattern a book on avian breeding systems after the established, albeit somewhat dated, framework of Emlen and Oring merely by adding more modern references. Much to Ligon’s credit, he resisted that temptation, instead producing a lucid, thorough account of the field patterned after his own vision. We are still treated to a discourse on the pervasive influence of ecology (e.g. resource defense and territoriality) on monogamy and classic polyandry, for example, but the connection does not stop there. Ligon makes a compelling argument for incorporating historical information into models of sexual selection, as well as suggesting that the old ethological concepts have much to contribute to our understanding of mating systems. Some of the best chapters were unexpectedly so, with those on ethology and phylogenetic perspectives especially stimulating.The organization of the book is somewhat idiosyncratic. The chapters on the various categories of mating systems do not appear until the last section; this could, for example, make it difficult to read about ornamentation in lekking birds in Chapter 4 when leks are not described or discussed until Chapter 15. In addition, a few important topics are omitted, most notably sperm competition and its now recognized crucial impact on parentage. The book is rich with examples; nary a statement passes that is not tied to empirical evidence or is not adequately referenced. Some of the examples are amusing personal anecdotes; nightjars have extraordinarily cryptic plumage and Ligon notes, ‘Anyone who has ever kept a poor-will in their living room, as I have, knows this.’ If anything, references are used too liberally, to the point of redundancy; tighter editing could have solved this minor problem. In a similar vein, figures and tables are sprinkled throughout the text, often reproduced directly from important publications, but they are too few and far between. Incorporation of additional data in figures and tables could have enhanced the message and interpretability of many of the issues raised. Even so, the sheer volume of citations lends confidence to the scholarly nature of this work, as does presentation of a myriad of conflicting ideas. Admirably, opposing views are generally afforded equal ink, with data in support of either distilled in a dispassionate manner. Still, in several cases we would have preferred that Ligon took a stand and concluded that a particular idea deserves the nod, is flawed or if the jury truly is out. Despite these quibbles, the overall presentation within each chapter is effective.Who could use this book? As stated above, it is not only suitable for ornithologists but also for scientists interested in breeding systems in general, and is written in an accessible style that should also appeal to graduate students. It is a bit specialized for an undergraduate text and a bit too general an overview to provide much fodder for a graduate seminar, but it would be an admirable source for students seeking a research project. For those wanting a more specialized treatment of sexual selection than Andersson’s book3xSexual Selection. Andersson, M. See all References3, this is an excellent resource.