Abstract
Spacing behaviour of female red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) was observed to determine whether resident females within a herem divide their mate's territory into sub-territories. Some results accorded with defence of sub-territories: (1) females were more aggressive (towards decoys and mounts) close to their own nests than further away; and (2) there was little overlap in the use of space betwee residents on a male's territory. Other results did not accord with defence of sub-territories: (1) when the nest site was eliminated from the analysis, spatial overlaps were large; (2) areas defended through aggression by different females overlapped greatly; and (3) areas defended through advertisement by different females overlapped greatly. I conclude that the spacing behaviour of female red-winged blackbirds does not meet a strict difinition of territoriality.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1381-1391 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Animal Behaviour |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1986 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Animal Science and Zoology
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cite this
Are female red-winged blackbirds territorial? / Searcy, William.
In: Animal Behaviour, Vol. 34, No. 5, 01.01.1986, p. 1381-1391.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Are female red-winged blackbirds territorial?
AU - Searcy, William
PY - 1986/1/1
Y1 - 1986/1/1
N2 - Spacing behaviour of female red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) was observed to determine whether resident females within a herem divide their mate's territory into sub-territories. Some results accorded with defence of sub-territories: (1) females were more aggressive (towards decoys and mounts) close to their own nests than further away; and (2) there was little overlap in the use of space betwee residents on a male's territory. Other results did not accord with defence of sub-territories: (1) when the nest site was eliminated from the analysis, spatial overlaps were large; (2) areas defended through aggression by different females overlapped greatly; and (3) areas defended through advertisement by different females overlapped greatly. I conclude that the spacing behaviour of female red-winged blackbirds does not meet a strict difinition of territoriality.
AB - Spacing behaviour of female red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) was observed to determine whether resident females within a herem divide their mate's territory into sub-territories. Some results accorded with defence of sub-territories: (1) females were more aggressive (towards decoys and mounts) close to their own nests than further away; and (2) there was little overlap in the use of space betwee residents on a male's territory. Other results did not accord with defence of sub-territories: (1) when the nest site was eliminated from the analysis, spatial overlaps were large; (2) areas defended through aggression by different females overlapped greatly; and (3) areas defended through advertisement by different females overlapped greatly. I conclude that the spacing behaviour of female red-winged blackbirds does not meet a strict difinition of territoriality.
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U2 - 10.1016/S0003-3472(86)80209-3
DO - 10.1016/S0003-3472(86)80209-3
M3 - Article
VL - 34
SP - 1381
EP - 1391
JO - Animal Behaviour
JF - Animal Behaviour
SN - 0003-3472
IS - 5
ER -