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Territory and Polygamy in a Bishop‐bird, Euplectes hordeacea hordeacea ( Linn. ).
Author(s) -
Lack David
Publication year - 1935
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1935.tb01634.x
Subject(s) - courtship , nest (protein structural motif) , courtship display , geography , ecology , zoology , biology , biochemistry
Summary.1 In the region studied the males of Euplectes hordeacea hordeacea (Linn.) hold territories with rigidly defined boundaries, which they rarely leave and which they defend against all other males and strange females. 2 Each male has a succession of females, courting with and building for one at a time. There were sometimes three females with nests in the territory simultaneously, sometimes only one. 3 The female adds to the nest and alone incubates and feeds the young. It takes no cognisance of the territory, gathering building material and food for the young from well outside it, and not infrequently settling in the territory of a neighbouring male. 4 4. The territory appears to have no food value. 5 5. The value of the territory is probably to achieve isolation for the cocks, and so to assist the hens to find mates. 6 6. The display, which shows off the bright colours, is correlated with the territory and not with courtship, which is simple.