Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Asymmetric costs favor female desertion in the facultatively polyandrous northern flicker (Colaptes auratus): a removal experiment

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Previous studies of biparental care in birds have focused on the male’s contribution and experimental removal of males. Woodpeckers, with a high level of paternal care including nocturnal incubation and brooding by males, offer a meaningful system in which to examine the importance of care by females. I studied the reproductive performance of 17 widowed male and 8 widowed female northern flickers (Colaptes auratus) relative to biparental (control) pairs. Of these single parents all widowed shortly after hatching, only one female abandoned its nest. Single parents boosted their provisioning rates to achieve 83% the provisioning rate of control broods, but reared significantly fewer young and young of poorer quality. However, single males, with 85% of the reproductive success of controls, were more successful than females with 43% the success of controls. Among widowed birds, a not significant lower survival was observed, but the chance of re-pairing with the same partner in a subsequent year was only 16% in the natural population, so long-term costs of desertion may be small. Although females seem to have the incentive and ability to desert, a lack of available males may constrain opportunities. This study demonstrates that when parental care roles are reversed in altricial birds, asymmetric benefits can favor female and not male desertion.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Alatalo RV, Lundberg A, Stahlbrandt K (1982) Why do pied flycatcher females mate with already mated males? Anim Behav 30:585–593

    Google Scholar 

  • Barba E, Gil-Delgado JA, Monros JS (1995) The cost of being late: consequences of delaying great tit Parus major first clutches. J Anim Ecol 64:642–651

    Google Scholar 

  • Bart, J, Tornes A (1989) Importance of monogamous male birds in determining reproductive success- evidence for house wrens and a review of male-removal studies. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 24:109–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beissinger SR (1986) Demography, environmental uncertainty and the evolution of mate desertion in the snail kite. Ecology 67:1445–1459

    Google Scholar 

  • Beissinger SR, Syder NFR (1987) Mate desertion in the snail kite. Anim Behav 35:477–487

    Google Scholar 

  • Björkland M, Westman B (1986) Adaptive advantages of monogamy in the great tit (Parus major): and experimental test of the polygyny threshold model. Anim Behav 34:1436–1440

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman R, Bird DM (1987) Behavioral strategies of American kestrels during mate replacement. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 20:129–135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burley N (1980) Clutch overlap and clutch size: alternative and complementary reproductive tactics. Am Nat 115:223–246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chase ID (1980) Cooperative and non-cooperative behavior in animals. Am Nat 115:827–857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chek AA, Robertson RJ (1991) Infanticide in female tree swallows: a role for sexual selection. Condor 93:454–457

    Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock TH (1991) The evolution of parental care. Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.

  • Davies NB (1985) Cooperation and conflict among dunnocks, Prunella modularis, in a variable mating system. Anim Behav 33:628-648

    Google Scholar 

  • Dawkins R, Carlisle, TR (1976) Parental investment, mate desertion and a fallacy. Nature 262:131–133

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson JL, Weathers WW (1999) Replacement males in the western bluebird: opportunity for paternity, chick-feeding rules, and fitness consequences of male parental care. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 45:201–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duckworth JW (1992) Effects of mate removal on the behaviour and reproductive success of reed warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus. Ibis 134:164–170

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn PO, Hannon SJ (1989) Evidence for obligate male parental care in black-billed magpies. Auk 106:635–644

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn PO, Hannon SJ (1992) Effects of food abundance and male parental care on reproductive success and monogamy in tree swallows. Auk 109:488–499

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunn PO, Robertson RJ (1992) Geographic variation in the importance of male parental care and mating systems in tree swallows. Behav Ecol 3:291–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Eens, M, Pinxten R (1995) Mate desertion by primary female European starlings at the end of the nestling stage. J Avian Biol 26:267–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elchuk CL (2002) Home range, territoriality and foraging site selection of the northern flicker (Colaptes auratus). MSc Thesis, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon

  • Elchuk CL, Wiebe KL (2002) Food and predation risk as factors influencing foraging locations of northern flickers (Colaptes auratus). Wilson Bull 114:349–357

    Google Scholar 

  • Eldegard K (2003) Parental care and offspring desertion in Temgmalm’s owl (Aegolius funereus) and sparrowhawk (Accipter nisus). DSc Thesis, Agricultural University of Norway, Oslo

  • Emlen ST, Oring LW (1977) Ecology, sexual selection and evolution of mating systems. Science 197:215–223

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman-Gallant CR (1998) Fitness consequences of male parental care in savannah sparrows. Behav Ecol 9:486–492

    Google Scholar 

  • Gowaty PA (1983) Male parental care and apparent monogamy among eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis). Am Nat 121:149–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gowaty PA (1996) Battles of the sexes and the origins of monogamy. In: Black JM (ed) Partnerships in birds, the study of monogamy. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 21–51

  • Greenlaw JS, Post W (1985) Evolution of monogamy in seaside sparrows, Ammodramus maritimus: tests of hypotheses. Anim Behav 33:373–383

    Google Scholar 

  • Houston AI, Davies NB (1985) The evolution of cooperation and life history in the dunnock, Prunella modularis. In: Sibly R, Smith R (eds) Behavioural ecology: the ecological consequences of adaptive behaviour. Blackwell, Oxford, pp 471–487

  • Ketterson ED, Nolan V Jr (1994) Male parental care in birds. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 25:601–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lack D (1968) Ecological adaptations for breeding in birds. Methuen Press, London

  • Ligon JD (1993) The role of phylogenetic history in the evolution of contemporary avian mating and parental care systems. Curr Ornithol 10:1–46

    Google Scholar 

  • Ligon JD (1999) The evolution of avian breeding systems. Oxford University Press, New York

  • Lynn SE, Wingfield JC (2003) Male chestnut-collared longspurs are essential for nestling survival: a removal study. Condor 105:154–158

    Google Scholar 

  • Lyon BE, Montgomerie RD, Hamilton LD (1987). Male parental care and monogamy in snow buntings. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 20:377–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markman S, Yom-Tov Y, Wright J (1996) The effect of male removal on female parental care in the orange-tufted sunbird. Anim Behav 52:437–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maynard Smith J (1977) Parental investment: a prospective analysis. Anim Behav 25:1–9

    Google Scholar 

  • Meek SB, Robertson RJ (1994) Effects of male removal on the behavior and reproductive success of female eastern bluebirds Sialia sialis. Ibis 136:305–312

    Google Scholar 

  • Mock DW, Fujioka M (1990) Monogamy and long-term pair bonding in vertebrates. Trends Ecol Evol 5:39–45

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Møller AP (1988) Infanticidal and anti-infanticidal strategies in the swallow Hirundo rustica. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 22:365–371

    Google Scholar 

  • Moore W L (1995) The northern flicker (Colaptes auratus). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The birds of North America, No. 166. The Birds of North America, Philadelphia, Pa.

  • Murray BG Jr (1984) A demographic theory on the evolution of mating systems as exemplified by birds. In: Hecht MK, Wallace B, Prance GT (eds) Evolutionary biology, vol. 18. Plenum, New York, pp 71–140

  • Orians GH (1969) On the evolution of mating systems in birds and mammals. Am Nat 103:589–603

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owens IPF (2002) Male-only care and classical polyandry in birds: phylogeny, ecology and sex differences in remating opportunities. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B 357:283–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Owens IPF, Bennett PM (1997) Variation in mating system among birds: ecological basis revealed by hierarchical comparative analysis of mate desertion. Proc R Soc Lond B 264:1103–1110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Persson O, Öhrström P (1989) A new avian mating system: ambisexual polygamy in the penduline tit Remiz pendulinus. Ornis Scand 20:105–111

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinxten R, Eens M, Verheyen RF (1995) Response of male European starlings to experimental removal of their mate during different stages of the breeding cycle. Behaviour 132:301–317

    Google Scholar 

  • Pyle PS, Howell NG, DeSante DF, Yunick RP, Gustafson M (1997). Identification guide to North American birds. Part 1. Columbidae to Ploceidae. Slate Creek, Bolinas, Calif.

  • Richmond AW (1978) An experimental study of advantage of monogamy in the cardinal. PhD dissertation, Indiana University, Bloomington

  • Roulin A (2002) Offspring desertion by double-brooded female barn owls (Tyto alba). Auk 119:515–519

    Google Scholar 

  • Rowley I (1983) Remating in birds. In: Bateson P (ed) Mate choice. Cambridge University Press, London, pp 331–360

  • Sasvari L (1986) Reproductive effort of widowed birds. J Anim Ecol 55:553–564

    Google Scholar 

  • Slagsvold T, Lifjeld J (1994) Polygyny in birds: the role of competition between females for male parental care. Am Nat 143:59–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith JNM, Yom-tov Y, and Moses R (1982) Polygyny, male parental care and sex ratio in song sparrows: an experimental study. Auk 99:555–564

    Google Scholar 

  • Solheim R (1983) Bigyny and biandry in the Tengmalm’s owls Aegolius funereus. Ornis Scand 14:51–57

    Google Scholar 

  • SPSS (1998) SPSS for windows: base system’s users guide. Release 11.0 SPSS Chicago, Ill.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stacey PB, Edwards T (1983) Possible cases of infanticide by immigrant females in a group-breeding bird. Auk 100:731–733.

    Google Scholar 

  • Székely T, Webb JN, Houston AI, McNamara JM (1996) An evolutionary approach to offspring desertion in birds. Curr Ornithol 13:271–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Trivers RL (1972) Parental investment and sexual selection. In: Campbell BG (ed) Sexual selection and the descent of man. Aldine, Chicago, pp 136–179

  • Valera F, Hoi H, Schleicher B (1997) Egg burial in penduline tits, Remiz pendulinus: Its role in mate desertion and female polyandry. Behav Ecol 8:20-27

    Google Scholar 

  • Weatherhead PJ (1979) Ecological correlates of monogamy in tundra-breeding savannah sparrows. Auk 96:391–401

    Google Scholar 

  • White GC, Burnham KP (1999) Program MARK: survival estimation from populations of marked animals. Bird Study 46:S120–139

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe KL (2001) Microclimate of tree cavity nests: is it important for reproductive success in northern flickers? Auk 118:412–421

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe KL (2002) First reported case of classical polyandry in a North American woodpecker, the northern flicker. Wilson Bull 114:401–403

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe KL (2003) Delayed timing as a strategy to avoid nest-site competition: testing a model using data from starlings and flickers. Oikos 100:291–298

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiebe KL, Elchuk CL (2003) Correlates of parental care in northern flickers Colaptes auratus: do the sexes contribute equally when provisioning young? Ardea 91:91–101.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wiktander U, Olsson O, Nilsson SG (2000) Parental care and social mating system in the lesser spotted woodpecker Dendrocopos minor. J Avian Biol 31:447–456

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Winkler DW (1987) A general model for parental care. Am Nat 130:526–543

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wolf L, Ketterson ED, Nolan V Jr (1988) Paternal influence on growth and survival of dark-eyed junco young: do parental males benefit? Anim Behav 36:1601–1618

    Google Scholar 

  • Wolf L, Ketterson ED, Nolan V Jr. (1990) Behavioural response of female dark-eyed juncos to the experimental removal of their mates: implications for the evolution of male parental care. Anim Behav 39:125–134

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Thanks to P. Gowaty, T.A. Slagsvold and anonymous reviewers for comments on the manuscript. C.L. Elchuk and numerous field assistants over the years have helped to find and monitor flicker nests. K. Martin and F. Cooke were generous in sharing field camp facilities. The study was funded by an NSERC research grant.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, S7N 5E2, Canada

    Karen L. Wiebe

Authors
  1. Karen L. Wiebe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karen L. Wiebe.

Additional information

Communicated by: I. Hartley

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wiebe, K.L. Asymmetric costs favor female desertion in the facultatively polyandrous northern flicker (Colaptes auratus): a removal experiment. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 57, 429–437 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-004-0878-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-004-0878-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation