SONG STRUCTURE REFLECTS MALE QUALITY IN PIED FLYCATCHERS, FICEDULA-HYPOLEUCA

Since the song of male pied flycatchers attracts females, song repertoires and other song characteristics might be important in mate choice by females. Song parameters were correlated with several male characters. Song figure repertoire and song versatility (measured as the proportion of different types of song figures to the number of figures in the sample) were larger for more experienced, blacker and heavier males. When controlling for breeding experience, blacker males still had larger song figure repertoires and more versatile song samples than browner males, and heavier males had larger song figure repertoires than lighter males. Song figure repertoire and versatility were also larger for early than for late arriving males. However, there was a negative correlation between song figure repertoire and versatility and the males' return rate to the breeding area. © 1994 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.