Extra-pair paternity results from female preference for high-quality males in the blue tit (original) (raw)

Nature volume 357, pages 494–496 (1992)Cite this article

Abstract

EXTRA-PAIR copulations (EPCs) seem to be one of the most widespread alternative reproductive behaviours by which male birds can increase their fitness1,2. In many species females actively solicit or freely engage in EPCs3–5, which suggests that they benefit from them. Of the eight hypothetical benefits proposed2,6, the most likely are genetic2. Often females engage in EPCs with more dominant males3,7 or with males with more elaborate ornaments8,9. In species in which paternity was assigned, extra-pair young were divided asymmetrically between males10–12. Here, combining detailed behavioural work with DNA-fingerprinting of an entire population, we present evidence that such an asymmetry is indeed caused by female behaviour, and that 'attractive' males do not suffer lost paternity, survive better and recruit more young. Our results support the genetic quality hypothesis.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Trivers, R. L. in Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man (ed. Campbell, B. G.) 136–179 (Aldine, Chicago, 1972).
    Google Scholar
  2. Birkhead, T. R. & Møller, A. P. Sperm Competition in Birds: Evolutionary Causes and Consequences (Academic, London, 1992).
    Google Scholar
  3. Smith, S. M. Behaviour 107, 15–23 (1988).
    Article Google Scholar
  4. Birkhead, T. R. et al. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 27, 315–324 (1990).
    Article Google Scholar
  5. Møller, A. P. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 27, 23–29 (1990).
    Article Google Scholar
  6. Westneat, D. F. et al. Curr. Ornithol. 7, 331–369 (1990).
    Google Scholar
  7. Bollinger, E. K. & Gavin, T. A. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 29, 1–7 (1991).
    Article Google Scholar
  8. Møller, A. P. Nature 332, 640–642 (1988).
    Article ADS Google Scholar
  9. Smith, H. G. & Montgomerie, R. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 28, 195–201 (1991).
    Article Google Scholar
  10. Gibbs, H. L. et al. Science 250, 1394–1397 (1990).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  11. Sherman, P. W. & Morton, M. L. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 22, 413–420 (1988).
    Article Google Scholar
  12. Westneat, D. F. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 27, 67–76 (1990).
    Article Google Scholar
  13. Dhondt, A. A. in Lifetime Reproduction in Birds (ed. Newton, I. A.) 15–33 (Academic, London, 1989).
    Google Scholar
  14. Dhondt, A. A. Ibis 129, 327–334 (1987).
    Article Google Scholar
  15. Birkhead, T. R. et al. Nature 334, 60–62 (1988).
    Article ADS CAS Google Scholar
  16. McCullock, P. & Nelder, J. A. Generalized Linear Models (Chapman and Hall, New York, 1983).
    Book Google Scholar
  17. Møller, A. P. Behaviour 100, 92–104 (1987).
    Article Google Scholar
  18. Berneman, Z. N. et al. FEBS Lett. 255, 226–230 (1989).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  19. Armour, J. A. L. et al. Genomics 8, 501–512 (1990).
    Article CAS Google Scholar
  20. Bruford, M. W. et al. in Molecular Genetic Analysis of Populations: A Practical Approach (ed. Hoebul, A. R.) 225–269 (IRL, Oxford, 1992).
    Google Scholar
  21. Feinberg, A. P. & Vogelstein, B. Analyt. Biochem. 132, 6–13 (1983).
    Article CAS Google Scholar

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
    Bart Kempenaers, Geert R. Verheyen, Marleen Van den Broeck, Terry Burke, Christine Van Broeckhoven & André Dhondt
  2. Department of Biochemistry, University of Antwerp, Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen, B-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
    Marleen Van den Broeck & Christine Van Broeckhoven
  3. Department of Zoology, University of Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
    Terry Burke

Authors

  1. Bart Kempenaers
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  2. Geert R. Verheyen
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  3. Marleen Van den Broeck
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  4. Terry Burke
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  5. Christine Van Broeckhoven
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar
  6. André Dhondt
    You can also search for this author inPubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Kempenaers, B., Verheyen, G., den Broeck, M. et al. Extra-pair paternity results from female preference for high-quality males in the blue tit.Nature 357, 494–496 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1038/357494a0

Download citation

This article is cited by