Sexual selection in the monogamous barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). II. Mechanisms of sexual selection

Abstract

AbstractMechanisms of sexual selection in the monogamous, sexually dimorphic barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) were studied during a seven‐year period. First, the sex ratio of reproducing adults was male‐biased, and mated males had significantly longer tail ornaments than unmated males. Secondly, some of the unmated individuals later committed infanticide and became mated with the mother of the killed brood. Fathers of killed broods had significantly shorter tails than other males, and there was a tendency for infanticidal males to have longer tail ornaments than other unmated males. Thirdly, long‐tailed male barn swallows were more successful in acquiring extra‐pair copulations than other males, and females involved in extra‐pair copulations, as compared to females not involved in such copulations, had mates with shorter tail ornaments. Fourthly, male barn swallows having long tails as compared to short‐tailed males acquired mates in better body condition. Females mated to long‐tailed males reproduced earlier, laid more eggs and were more likely to have two clutches than were females mated to short‐tailed males. Finally, females mated to long‐tailed males put more effort into reproduction than did other females, as evidenced by their relatively larger contribution to feeding of offspring. Thus, at least five different components of sexual selection affected male reproductive success. Selection arising from differential success during extra‐pair copulations, differential reproductive success and differential male reproductive effort thus accounted for most of the selection on tail ornaments in male barn swallows.