Is female mate preference based on the interaction between static and dynamic signals in bearded reedlings?

Abstract

In many animal species ornaments and display behaviours are used together in intersexual communication. Few studies, however, have simultaneously explored how the static and dynamic components interact. We examined the significance of behaviour (e.g. dominance status) in comparison with beard length for the mate choice process in a bird species, the bearded reedling, Panurus biarmicus. In choice experiments, females were confronted with two males of varying beard length (artificially shortened or elongated) and status (dominant/subdominant). The results suggest that female choice is primarily based on beard length whereas dominance seems to be less important. Our results indicate that the beard length plays an important role in female choice in this species, as previously reported. Nevertheless, dominance status has a slight complementary effect. Beard length and behaviour seem to inform the female about the same aspect of male condition but with a different error probability. However, additional studies in which display rates and song properties are directly manipulated are needed.