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The potential for differences between genetic paternity and paternity inferred from behavioral observation has long been recognized. These differences are associated with the challenge for females of seeking both genetic and material benefits; this challenge is less severe in species with polygynous, non-resource-based mating systems (such as leks) than in those with resource-based systems. We present the first study of paternity patterns in a non-resource-based species that does not form true leks. We compared paternity inferred from observed mating behavior to genetically assigned paternity in the Satin Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) using eight microsatellite markers. Mating behavior was observed and recorded via automated video-cameras positioned at all bowers (29-34 bowers each year) in the study site throughout each mating season. We obtained blood samples and identified mothers for 11 chicks in 9 nests. For all chicks, the most likely genetic father had been observed to mate with the mother in the year the chick was sampled. All most likely genetic fathers were assigned with high confidence and all were bower-holding males. These results demonstrate that genetic paternity can be inferred from observed mating behavior with reasonable confidence in Satin Bowerbirds. Observed male mating-success is therefore a reliable predictor of reproductive success, and this suggests that high skew in observed male mating-success translates directly to high skew in reproductive success. Received 11 July 2005, accepted 16 July 2006. Key words: mating success, microsatellites, non-resource-based mating system, paternity, Ptilonorhynchus violaceus, reproductive success, Satin Bowerbird. Las diferencias potenciales entre la paternidad genetica y la paternidad inferida a partir de observaciones de comportamiento han sido reconocidas desde hace mucho tiempo. Estas diferencias estan asociadas con el desafio de las hembras de buscar beneficios geneticos y materiales. Este desafio es menos severo en las especies con sistemas de apareamiento poliginicos que no estan basados en los recursos (como las asambleas de cortejo) que en aquellas con sistemas basados en los recursos. Presentamos el primer estudio de patrones de paternidad en una especie cuyo apareamiento no esta basado en los recursos y que no forma asambleas de cortejo verdaderas. Comparamos la paternidad inferida a partir de observaciones de comportamientos de apareamiento con la paternidad asignada geneticamente en Ptilonorhynchus violaceus usando ocho marcadores micro-satelitales. El comportamiento de apareamiento fue observado y registrado por medio de camaras de video automaticas ubicadas en todos los sitios de despliegue (29-34 sitios de despliegue cada ano) en el area de estudio a lo largo de cada estacion reproductiva. Obtuvimos muestras de sangre e identificamos las madres de 11 pichones en 9 nidos. Para todos los pichones, el padre genetico mas probable fue observado apareandose con la madre en el ano en que el pichon fue muestreado. Todos los padres geneticos mas probables fueron determinados con alta seguridad y todos fueron machos que ocuparon un sitio de despliegue. Estos resultados demuestran que la paternidad genetica puede ser inferida a partir de la observacion del comportamiento de apareamiento con una grado razonable de certeza en P. violaceus. Por lo tanto, el exito de apareamiento observado de los machos predice el exito reproductivo de modo confiable, y esto sugiere que los sesgos marcados en el exito de apareamiento observados en los machos se traducen directamente en sesgos marcados en el exito reproductivo.

Geographic variation in birdsong is known from a variety of taxa, but is especially common and most frequently reported in passerines with resource-based territorial mating systems. To date, relatively little data have been presented on patterns of song variation in species with lek and leklike mating systems. In this paper, we describe geographic song variation in the Golden Bowerbird (Prionodura newtonia) a species with a leklike mating system. We compared recordings of the species advertisement song, collected from five isolated forest blocks from across the species range in northeastern Australia. Golden Bowerbird advertisement song shows marked geographic variation in form. All males within a population sing a song similar to each other, but distinct from that of males from other locations. The song traits important in discriminating between the songs of the different populations were bandwidth, number of peaks, dominant frequency, fundamental frequency, internote interval, and pureness. Discriminant function analyses based on these traits were highly accurate in assigning songs to their population of origin. We then used playback experiments to test whether geographic song variation in Golden Bowerbirds is functional. In the playback experiments males responded more strongly to song from local dialects than from foreign dialects. We discuss our results in light of current hypotheses on the evolution of geographic song variation. Key words: bowerbird, dialect, song variation, playback, Prionodura newtonia.

The effects of color of the bower and male plumage on female great bowerbird's mate selection are analyzed.

A study conducted to analyze the impact of colour in food objects and the bowerbird's food colour preferences is discussed.

The sensed color pattern evolution is examined using Australian bowerbirds. Bowerbirds provide an unusual opportunity to investigate how signals can evolve as their colors include both plumage and a constructed bower.

The claim that male secondary sexual traits evolved to exploit biases in the female's sensory system by the sensory bias model of sexual selection is examined. However, results suggest that choice of bower decoration color may have evolved to exploit a bias in the female's sensory system, which is originally shaped by selection on foraging practices.