The effect of mate removal on dawn singing behaviour in male pied bush chats

Abstract

Abstract To determine the influence of pairing status on dawn singing behaviour in pied bush chats Saxicola caprata, we conducted mate removal experiments across eight territories. The experiment was divided into three stages: pre-removal (pairs were present on their respective territories), removal (females were experimentally removed), and returned (females were released into the focal pairs’ territories). Dawn bout length, song rate, song complexity, percentage performance time, song perch height, and distance of singing location to territory boundary were measured for each male during each experimental stage. We did not find an effect of mate removal on any dawn song characteristics of male pied bush chats suggesting that the presence or absence of a mate does not influence male dawn singing behaviour. Our findings further suggest that males use dawn chorus to mediate social relationships with neighbouring males to proclaim an established territory.