Female brown-headed cowbirds', Molothrus ater, organization and behaviour reflects male social dynamics

Abstract

In four large aviaries, we studied social assortment and reproductive behaviour of female brown-headed cowbirds housed with males differing in age class and in corresponding levels of intrasexual interaction. Juvenile and adult females resided with either (1) adult males, (2) juvenile males, (3) adult and juvenile males, or (4) no males. We observed social behaviour of males and females from September 1999 through to the 2000 breeding season. Throughout the year, males in the different conditions showed different levels of social interaction, with adult males being most engaged in male–male interactions and juvenile males being least engaged in male–male interactions. Females in the four conditions differed in their associations with males and with other females. In conditions with adult males, females spent more time near males, approached males more often, and associated with females less. During the breeding season, females in conditions with more adult males copulated more and produced more fertile and viable eggs. In the condition where females were housed with juvenile males, they copulated less, laid fewer eggs and destroyed more of their eggs. Results indicate that throughout the year, females are sensitive to male age and behaviour in their social group, and that this sensitivity can have reproductive consequences. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.