Abstract
Here we review several field and laboratory studies with the blue-black grassquit ( Volatinia jacarina ) to show how different aspects of its mating system are inter-related. We discuss previous studies on the negative effects of parasitism upon secondary sexual characters of grassquits and the lack of female choice for healthier males. We also review what is known about the mating patterns of this species and discuss the elevated rates of extra-pair paternity obtained in laboratory experiments with the reactions of males and females towards extra-pair males. From basic breeding biology to complex social and genetic interactions, the present review illustrates how the study of a single species allows for a broader interpretation of many hypotheses and assumptions that are seldom considered with Neotropical birds.
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