Mating and Social Behavior in Ornithology

This set of flashcards covers key concepts from the lecture on mating and social behavior in ornithology, including sexual selection, mating systems, and cooperative breeding.

What did Darwin suggest about female mate preferences?

Darwin suggested that females have 'aesthetic sensibilities' and preferences for certain males when mating.

What was the common belief about female mating behavior until the 1950s-70s?

Most biologists believed that females were passive, lacked preferences, and mated with males who won male-male competitions.

What drives sexual selection?

Sexual selection is driven by various factors including direct benefits, indirect genetic benefits, 'quality' genes, and the concept of sexy sons.

What is social monogamy?

Social monogamy is when an individual forms a pair bond with one other individual, often lasting for one or more breeding attempts.

Why do both males and females engage in extra-pair copulations?

Males engage in extra-pair copulations to potentially sire extra offspring, while females do so for fertility insurance, genetic benefits, and greater genetic variation.

What is mate guarding?

Mate guarding is a behavior where males or females protect their mate from potential competitors to maximize their reproductive success.

What is polyandry?

Polyandry is a mating system where a female mates with multiple males, often leading to resource gain or parental care.

Why do some males accept polyandry?

Males may accept polyandry if there are fewer females than males or when territories are scarce.

What is sexual conflict in birds?

Sexual conflict occurs when the fitness benefits for one sex decrease the fitness of individuals of the other sex, often exemplified by forced copulation.

What is cooperative breeding?

Cooperative breeding is when non-parents help care for young, and is seen in about 9% of bird species.

What is kin selection?

Kin selection is the idea that individuals may aid relatives in raising offspring, thereby increasing their inclusive fitness.

What are conditions leading to cooperative breeding?

Conditions include lack of appropriate mates or territories, food scarcity, and species longevity.

What are the costs of living in groups?

The costs include resource competition, potential harassment from dominant individuals, and increased risk of disease transmission.