MALE BEHAVIORS OF SOCIALLY MONOGAMOUS TIBETAN EARED-PHEASANTS DURING THE BREEDING SEASON

Abstract

Abstract The social behavior of free-living male Tibetan Eared-pheasants (Crossoptilon harmani) is described during their breeding season at a site near Lhasa, Tibet. Four types of male-male interactions were identified. (1) Mate guarding. A male maintained vigilance behavior near his partner. (2) Evading. A male urged the female to avoid other breeding males. (3) Lateral display. A male laterally presented his body to another male and the latter postured submissively. On a few occasions, displaying males escaped alone and dominant males attempted to copulate with mates of these males. (4) Driving. A male violently drove off any males that came too near his mate. These behavioral types emerged as pair members associated in groups in early spring, became extensive as pair bonds intensified, and disappeared with hatching. Paired males occasionally displayed to subadult males, but no display activity was observed between subadult males. These interactions were unidirectional for a group in which all male mem...