Am Nat. 2024 May;203(5):562-575. doi: 10.1086/729424. Epub 2024 Mar 19.
AbstractIn species with resource-defense mating systems (such as most temperate-breeding songbirds), male dispersal is often considered to be limited in both frequency and spatial extent. When dispersal occurs within a breeding season, the favored explanation is ecological resource tracking. In contrast, movements of male birds associated with temporary emigration, such as polyterritoriality (i.e., defense of an additional location after attracting a female in the initial territory), are usually attributed to mate searching. We suggest that male dispersal and polyterritoriality are functionally related and that mate searching may be a unifying hypothesis for predicting the within-season movements of male songbirds. Here, we test three key predictions derived from this hypothesis in Wood Warblers (). We collected data on the spatial behavior of 107 males between 2017 and 2019 and related male movements to a new territory (in both a dispersal and a polyterritorial context) to mating potential in the current territory. Most males dispersed from their territories within days or weeks after failing to attract a female, despite occupying territories in apparently suitable habitat. Probability of polyterritoriality by paired males increased after the peak fertile period of their mate. Males never dispersed following nest predation if the female remained to renest. Thus, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that both movement types are functionally related to mate searching.
摘要 在具有资源防御交配系统的物种中（如大多数温带繁殖的鸣禽），雄性扩散的频率和空间范围通常被认为是有限的。当扩散发生在繁殖季节内时，首选的解释是生态资源追踪。相比之下，与雄性鸟类临时迁徙相关的运动，如多领地性（即在初始领地吸引雌性后防御另一个领地），通常归因于寻找配偶。我们认为雄性扩散和多领地性在功能上是相关的，寻找配偶可能是预测雄性鸣禽在繁殖季节内运动的统一假设。在这里，我们在林莺（）中测试了该假设衍生的三个关键预测。我们在 2017 年至 2019 年期间收集了 107 只雄性的空间行为数据，并将雄性的运动与新领地（在扩散和多领地的情况下）与当前领地的交配潜力联系起来。尽管雄性在明显适宜的栖息地占据领地，但在未能吸引雌性后的几天或几周内，它们就会从领地中扩散出去。在其配偶的最佳生育期过后，配对雄性的多领地性概率增加。如果雌性继续重新筑巢，那么在巢捕食后，雄性就不会进行扩散。因此，我们的数据与以下假设一致：这两种运动类型都与寻找配偶在功能上相关。
