November 9, 2017
What can the mating behavior of
birds tell us about evolution, climate change and species survival? For Peter
Dunn, UWM distinguished professor of biological sciences, bird-watching offers
clues to overarching ecological questions. He wants to know the purpose behind
bird preferences such as feather brightness and why some birds follow the same
mating playbook, while others deviate. He and Professor Linda Whittingham are
now in their 21st year of studying tree swallows at the UWM Field Station, a
320-acre wetland near Saukville. This has given the ornithologists a long-term
perspective on the birds they study, which include common yellowthroats and
tree swallows.
What attracted you to this work?
When I first became interested in
bird behavior I was drawn in by birds that
have a lek mating system, like the greater prairie chicken. In the lek,
the males give a public
display out in a field, which attracts the females. The males all hang out in
this group, just strutting their stuff for the females. Some get multiple mates
and other don't get any. It's like a bar scene where the guys are showing off
and the females gather to check them out.
After mating, the females go off
and build a nest and raise the young all by themselves. The males do not
provide any parental care. This is unusual. Ninety percent of birds are
monogamous and they raise their young together. So, what originally interested
me was the question of why are some birds like that and others are not.
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