Female song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) are more impressed by the size of a mate’s song repertoire than the location of their territory. (Photo credit: Tosha Kelly)
The reproductive success of male song sparrows, one of the most abundant native sparrows of North America, depends on their song repertoire, not the quality of their territory, according to new research. The researchers found that males with a larger repertoire produced and fledged more offspring annually.
The study also found that these males moved shorter distances between breeding seasons, suggesting a more successful territory tenure.
The study analyzed nine years of field data from breeding grounds in Ontario containing approximately 25 to 40 breeding pairs each year of the study.
Original research paper published in the Canadian Journal of Zoology on June 29, 2015.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
