Female Tawny-bellied Seedeaters do not prefer more colorful males

FACCHINETTI, C.; REBOREDA, J.C.

JOURNAL OF ETHOLOGY

SPRINGER TOKYO

Lugar: Tokyo; Año: 2013 vol. 31 p. 233 - 238

0289-0771

Plumage coloration has long been studied as a sexually selected character. The Tawny-bellied Seedeater, Sporophila hypoxantha, is a sexually dichromatic species, with adult males more colorful and juvenile males indistinguishable from females. We did choice experiments to evaluate female preferences for males that differ in age or plumage coloration. Females were evaluated in three experiments: 1) choice between males with similar breast brightness that differed in age, 2) choice between males of two years of age that differed in breast brightness and 3) choice between males of three or more years of age that differed in breast brightness. We also repeated the later experiment with estradiol treated females. We did not find a clear female preference for brighter or older males, as females spent the same proportion of time with males of similar breast brightness that differed in age or with males of similar age that differed in breast brightness. Our results do not support the hypothesis that breast brightness is a cue used by females Tawny-bellied Seedeaters at the time of choosing males. We propose that in this species male?s plumage coloration might play a role in intrasexual competition.