Abstract
Song repertoire size is often cited as a classic example of a secondary sexual trait in birds. Models of sexual selection and empirical tests of their predictions have often related secondary sexual traits to longevity. However, the relationship between repertoire size and longevity is unclear. Using capture-mark-recapture studies in two populations of the brownish-flanked bush warbler Cettia fortipes, we found that males with a repertoire size of three maintained territory tenure for a longer duration than did males with a repertoire size of two. These results provide evidence that even a minimal difference in repertoire size can serve as a potential signal of territory tenure capability.
Highlights
In about 70% of songbird species, males are able to produce multiple song types [1,2]
Using capture-mark-recapture studies in two populations of the brownishflanked bush warbler Cettia fortipes, we found that males with a repertoire size of three maintained territory tenure for a longer duration than did males with a repertoire size of two
We investigated the relationship between repertoire size and longevity in two populations of the brownish-flanked bush warbler Cettia fortipes
Summary
In about 70% of songbird species, males are able to produce multiple song types [1,2]. Song repertoire size is often cited as a classic example of a secondary sexual trait [3,4,5]. In terms of bird song, the relationship between repertoire size and longevity is unclear. In the great tit Parus major, males with larger repertoires survive longer [9,14,15]. In the great reed warbler Acrocephalus arundinaceus, repertoire size is weakly positively related to lifespan in a German population but not in a Swedish population [20]. Given these conflicting results, additional fieldwork in this area is warranted
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