Status signaling is absent within age-and-sex classes of Harris' Sparrows

TitleStatus signaling is absent within age-and-sex classes of Harris' Sparrows
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication1988
AuthorsJackson, WM, Rohwer, S, Winnegrad, RL
JournalThe Auk
Volume105
Pagination424 -427
Accession NumberKNZ00187
Abstract

We tested the status-signaling hypothesis in two groups of same-age and same-sex Harris' Sparrows (Zonotrichia querula). Unlike flocks of mixed age and sex composition, badge size did not correlate with social status of these groups; thus, status signaling does not appear to occur within age-and-sex classes of Harris' Sparrows. Other predictions of the status-signaling hypothesis we tested were that (1) fighting ability and social status should be correlated, and (2) fighting ability and badge size should be correlated. We used a multi-variate assessment of body size as an indicator of fighting ability and found no support for either prediction in the flock of adult females. In the flock of adult males, large birds were more dominant (Prediction 1) but fighting ability and badge size were not correlated (contra Prediction 2)

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