MALE MALE COMPETITION, ORNAMENTATION AND THE ROLE OF TESTOSTERONE IN SEXUAL SELECTION IN RED JUNGLE FOWL

Ornamental traits related to success in male-male competition were studied in red jungle fowl, Gallus gallus. In controlled fights between pairs of males, comb size was the only morphological trait that correlated with winning. Among free-ranging, socially integrated groups of 1-year-old males, body size and comb chroma (degree of saturation with pigment), in addition to comb size, were significantly related to dominance. In jungle fowl, the comb is strongly affected by blood testosterone level, which in turn reflects the current physical condition of the individual. © 1990 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.