Open AccessMounting frequency and number of cloacal contacts increase with age in common terns Sterna hirundo
Author(s) -
GonzálezSolís Jacob,
Becker Peter H.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
journal of avian biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.022
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1600-048X
pISSN - 0908-8857
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-048x.2002.330313.x
Subject(s) - hirundo , biology , sterna , courtship , tern , courtship display , zoology , spermatophore , sperm , ecology , mating , botany
We investigated courtship feeding and copulatory behaviour of common terns Sterna hirundo in relation to age. We found a significant positive correlation between the number of courtship feedings delivered to females and the number of mountings. Moreover, both courtship feeding and mounting rates were positively correlated with female and male age. Also, the number of cloacal contacts per mounting increased significantly with male or female age, which may indicate an increase in copulatory ability with age. The number of mountings for older birds was up to three times that for younger birds. Presuming that transfer of sperm is proportional to the number of cloacal contacts, older birds may have transferred up to six times more sperm than younger birds during the pre‐laying and laying period. These results may account for the preference of young females for older mates as well as for older extra‐pair mates.