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Variation in Mate Fidelity in Monogamous Birds

  • Chapter
Current Ornithology

Part of the book series: Current Ornithology ((CUOR,volume 1))

Abstract

Ornithologists recently have devoted considerable attention to avian mating systems. However, the primary focus of both theoretical papers and field studies has been on the exceptional systems and species, namely the various forms of polygamy and cooperative breeding. Monogamy, the predominant avian mating system (Lack, 1968), and “typical” monogamous species have received comparatively little attention, especially in the theoretical papers. Exceptions to the above are the many studies of monogamous colonial birds, the recent paper by Wittenberger and Tilson (1980) on the evolution of monogamy, the review of avian mating systems by Oring (1982), and two reviews of extrapair copulations in monogamous species (Gladstone, 1979; McKinney et al., in press). The purpose of this review is to extend our knowledge of monogamous birds by examining the extent to which individuals of monogamous species practice various strategies of mate infidelity as a means to increase their reproductive success.

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  1. Department of Biology, St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minnesota, 56321, USA

    Norman L. Ford

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  1. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA

    Richard F. Johnston

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Ford, N.L. (1983). Variation in Mate Fidelity in Monogamous Birds. In: Johnston, R.F. (eds) Current Ornithology. Current Ornithology, vol 1. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-6781-3_11

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