| Publication Type: | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication: | 2004 |
| Authors: | Bell, BD, Borowiec, M, Lontkowski, J, Pledger, S |
| Journal: | Journal of Ornithology |
| Volume: | 145 |
| Issue: | 1 |
| Date Published: | 2004 |
| ISBN Number: | 2193-7192 |
| Keywords: | Acrocephalidae, Acrocephalus, Acrocephalus palustris, Herbicola palustris, Notiocichla palustris |
| Abstract: | The migrant Marsh Warbler ( Acrocephalus palustris ) has a complex song repertoire, but such complexity makes quantitative comparison of songs between individual males both time consuming and challenging. We investigate a streamlined method of song analysis that uses 2-min records of song to provide simpler relative indices of repertoire size, including the use of capture-recapture and species-richness models. For each male, three attributes of song were determined: the song complexity, the total repertoire elements and the estimated repertoire size based on the Burnham and Overton jackknife method. Males with higher song indices tend to have greater nesting success, suggesting that even short records of song can indicate male quality to prospective female mates. Why should male Marsh Warblers have long and sustained songs when only 2-min records correlate with nesting success? Assuming that song advertises the quality of the male, and that the quality of such advertisement is sustained throughout the male’s song period, we argue that the female may need to have only brief exposure initially to that song to assess its quality and hence the quality of the male. More continuous periods of song may reinforce that initial choice by the female, and allow males to remain conspicuous to transient females moving around the territories of potential male mates. |
| URL: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10336-003-0001-x |
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