Aggressiveness, incidence of singing, and territory quality of male blue grouse

Abstract

The relative aggressiveness and proportion of time spent singing (incidence of singing) were assessed for male blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) occupying high- and low-quality territorial sites. Playback experiments were used to assess the relative aggressiveness of males; no support was obtained for the hypothesis that males on high-quality sites are more aggressive than those on low-quality sites. Prior experience with an area may be more important than aggressiveness in determining the quality of territorial site that is obtained. In 1 of 2 years, males on high-quality sites were observed hooting (singing) a greater proportion of the time than were males on poorer sites. A greater incidence of hooting by males on high-quality sites may be one factor that results in more females being observed near these males than near males on less suitable areas, as was found in a previous study.