Male Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens
use their purple crowns to show off about their social status and strength,
according to a new study by Monash biologists published in the Journal of
Animal Ecology.
Some male birds seasonally
produce a brightly coloured nuptial plumage to attract females at the start of
the breeding season.
Researchers studying the male
Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens say that despite being faithful to their partners,
these birds take the trouble every year to change their head colour from dull
brown to a stunning combination of purple and black plumage.
The question is why.
“These showy males actually use
their purple crowns to signal social status and competitive strength to other
males,” said study author Associate Professor Anne Peters, from the Monash
School of Biological Sciences.
The study’s lead author, PhD
student Marie Fan, supervised by Associate Professor Peters, studied the role
of the nuptial plumage in competitive interactions among male Purple-crowned
Fairy-wrens.
“They strongly resemble other
fairy-wrens, that all develop seasonal attractive plumages,” said Marie.
“However, other fairy-wrens show
extreme levels of sexual infidelity and use their seasonal plumages to attract
extra-pair mates.”
“Because Purple-crowned
Fairy-wrens practice monogamy, they represent a useful study species for
understanding how different evolutionary processes may lead to apparently
similar seasonal plumages.”
Purple-crowned Fairy-wrens form
family-like groups living in well-defined territories, each owned by a dominant
breeding pair accompanied by subordinate helpers. Acquiring and defending a
dominant breeder position is therefore critical for male reproductive success.
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