Male Traits and Female Choice in Java Sparrows: Preference for Large Body Size

Abstract

Abstract Estrildine finches are important model species in experimental studies on female mating preferences, but research has focused on only two species from this family, namely, the Zebra Finch Taeniopygia guttata and the Bengalese Finch Lonchura striata var. domestica, and we know comparatively little about other closely related species. Therefore, we investigated sexual dimorphism and female choice in the Java Sparrow Padda oryzivora, which also belongs to the family Estrildidae, to open up the potential for comparative research and to better understand sexual selection in this family. First, we took measurements of eight morphological traits of six male and six female Java Sparrows: natural wing length, maximum wing length, tarsus length, tail length, exposed culmen length, bill width, bill depth and body mass. We quantitatively confirmed that Java Sparrows show sexual dimorphism in bill depth, with males having deeper bills than females. Second, we examined individual variation in male courtship so...