AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

Effect of female brooding behaviour on male mate choice in Japanese quail, Coturnix japonica

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2003
Authors:Ruscio, MG, Adkins-Regan, E
Journal:Animal Behaviour
Volume:65
Issue:2
Date Published:2003
ISBN Number:0003-3472
Keywords:Coturnix, Coturnix coturnix, Coturnix japonica, Phasianidae
Abstract:Brooding behaviour is a likely cue to a female's reproductive status and therefore a potentially important factor in male mate assessment. We induced brooding behaviour in adult female Japanese quail by exposure to foster chicks for five 20-min trials over 3 days. In two experiments, we assessed the influence of this brooding behaviour on male mate choice in Japanese quail using an established mate choice paradigm. In each experiment we gave males a choice between two females presented simultaneously and measured preference by the time spent in proximity to each. In the first experiment, a male's preference for the initially preferred female significantly decreased after he had seen her brooding three chicks. In the control condition, male preference for an initially preferred female remained relatively consistent over consecutive trials if he did not see her brood chicks. These results suggest that females who are brooding chicks are less attractive to male Japanese quail. Further evidence from the second experiment substantiates this finding, and strongly suggests that males are averse to behavioural cues from maternal females, rather than the mere presence of chicks. Copyright 2003 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.
URL:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347203920550
Short Title:Animal Behaviour
Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith