Abstract
Summary Slotow, R., Goodfriend, W. & Maclean, G. 1993. The social structure of captive Cape Sparrow flocks. Ostrich 64:63-66. We documented the social structure of two mixed-sex flocks of Cape Sparrows in aviaries. Unlike previous studies on north-temperate passerines, we found that males were not necessarily dominant to females. Some males paired with females, and assisted these females in interactions. By such associations, these females may attain higher status than their individual ability would permit. We removed the dominant male in each group, and noted that the pair bond of the beta pair remained stable, and that a new male paired with the formerly dominant alpha female. The removal of the dominant alpha male may have decreased the alpha female's social status. We found no correlation between any morphometric variable and social status.
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