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Large, overlapping home ranges reveal male mating strategies in polygynandrous Eclectus parrots.

Large, overlapping home ranges reveal male mating strategies in polygynandrous Eclectus parrots.

Authors :
Heinsohn, Robert
Appleby, Daniel
Wilson, David
Legge, Sarah
Source :
Emu. Jul-Oct2024, Vol. 124 Issue 3/4, p261-267. 7p.
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

The distribution of the resources needed by females for reproduction affects their dispersion in space and time, which in turn influences the number of females a male can defend. When males provide parental care they in turn become a resource for females, and influence where females choose to breed. Combined, these factors explain a preponderance of monogamous and (to a lesser extent) polygynous mating systems in birds. However, less frequently observed mating systems in birds remain harder to explain. Here, we analyse the home ranges of male Eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus) to investigate how their use of space facilitates an unusual polygynandrous mating system (where multiple males mate with multiple females). Female Eclectus parrots in the rainforests of northern Queensland, Australia, have limited movements. They remain at their nest trees for most of the year and rely on multiple wide-ranging males to bring them their food. We used light aircraft and VHF transmitters to track the movements of four male Eclectus parrots during the breeding season. We combined data on home range size with molecular analyses of a larger sample of breeding birds. Our analyses demonstrate that male home ranges overlap with each other and encompass multiple (3–14) trees with nesting females. We show that some males divide their time between, and gain reproductive success with, females up to 7 km apart. Our tracking and molecular data offer insights into how polygynandrous mating systems relate to space use among males and females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
01584197
Volume :
124
Issue :
3/4
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Emu
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
179769497
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2024.2368006