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Frequent within-pair copulations during incubation in Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus are consistent with the sperm competition hypothesis

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Abstract

Social partners of some bird species copulate during the incubation period; explanations for this include strengthening social bonds and/or reducing the risk of extra-pair paternity in consecutive clutches within the same season. According to current opinion, Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus exhibit this behavior, uncommon in shorebirds, in order to strengthen social bonds. Based upon field observations at 36 nests, I found that mating frequency increased after cessation of male incubation bouts, i.e., after the male had been unable to guard the female and prevent opportunities for extra-pair mating. This pattern is consistent with the sperm competition hypothesis: increased rates of copulation may be a way of devaluing the sperm of possible competitors and a strategy to secure paternity in subsequent clutches, which Northern Lapwings frequently lay throughout the breeding season. This explanation extends the previous interpretation of the frequent mating of Northern Lapwings during the incubation period.

Zusammenfassung

Häufige Kopulationen mit dem Partner während der Bebrütungsphase beim Kiebitz Vanellus vanellus stehen im Einklang mit der Spermienkonkurrenz-Hypothese

Bei manchen Vogelarten kommt es während der Bebrütungsphase zu Kopulationen mit dem Sozialpartner, was sich mit der Festigung sozialer Bindungen und/oder der Minderung des Risikos von Fremdvaterschaften bei Folgebruten in derselben Brutsaison erklären lässt. Gemäß der derzeit vorherrschenden Ansicht dient bei Kiebitzen diese für Watvögel ungewöhnliche Verhaltensweise der Stärkung sozialer Beziehungen. Anhand von Freilandbeobachtungen an 36 Nestern konnte festgestellt werden, dass die Kopulationsrate im Anschluss an das Ende männlicher Bebrütungszeiten anstieg, also nachdem das Männchen eine Zeitlang nicht in der Lage gewesen war, das Weibchen zu bewachen und somit Fremdverpaarungen zu verhindern. Dieses Muster steht im Einklang mit der Spermienkonkurrenz-Hypothese; erhöhte Kopulationsraten können eine Neutralisierung der Spermien möglicher Rivalen bewirken und somit eine Strategie zur Sicherung der Vaterschaft bei Folgegelegen darstellen, die bei Kiebitzen während der Brutsaison häufig vorkommen. Dieser Erklärungsansatz erweitert die frühere Deutung häufiger Paarungen bei Kiebitzen während der Bebrütungsphase.

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Acknowledgments

I am grateful to P. Šmilauer for his statistical recommendations and to all reviewers for their helpful comments. All observations were conducted in accordance with the laws of the Czech Republic. I thank G.A. Kirking for his useful linguistic advice. This study was funded by the IGA of the Faculty of Environmental Sciences of the Czech University of Life Sciences, no. 20144273.

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  1. Department of Ecology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16521, Praha 6, Czech Republic

    Miroslav Šálek

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  1. Miroslav Šálek
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Correspondence to Miroslav Šálek.

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Communicated by O. Krüger.

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Šálek, M. Frequent within-pair copulations during incubation in Northern Lapwings Vanellus vanellus are consistent with the sperm competition hypothesis. J Ornithol 156, 737–742 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-015-1179-4

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