Elisabeth Vallee Perron
Project
Determinants and consequences of mating pattern stability in the Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)To maximize reproductive success, many reproductive strategies have developed within the animal kingdom. One of these is social monogamy, defined as the union of two individuals for raising their offspring while potentially engaging in extra-pair copulations. Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are socially monogamous birds that show a high rate of extra-pair paternity, with almost 55% of nestlings sired by a male other than the social partner. Several studies suggest that these extra-pair paternities may provide an indirect advantage to females by increasing genetic diversity within a brood. Based on this, my master’s project aims to understand how swallows pair according to male morphological traits and female age, as well as how the temporal stability of this pairing pattern may influence female reproductive success. I will evaluate whether males in good physical condition, meaning those with high mass and wing length and a low parasite load, are more often selected by females. I will then examine whether female age affects the selection of males. I will also attempt to determine whether the physical condition of the selected male, defined by mass, wing length, and parasite load, as well as the age of the female, influences pairing stability and, ultimately, whether pairing stability is associated with better reproductive success in females. Overall, this project will contribute to a better understanding of sexual selection and mating systems in this species while highlighting female choice, an aspect that has long been neglected.
