Mate protection in alpha pairs of wintering willow tits, Parus montanus

摘要: Abstract Willow tits live within flock territories during the non-breeding season. The flocks are organized into a linear dominance hierarchy, whereby males generally dominate females and adults juveniles of same sex. In each 14 examined in this study (each consisting six birds: one adult pair two juvenile females), female, mate alpha male, was dominated by all males. However, she involved fewer interactions than other members, allocated more her time to foraging less vigilance compared with when close (within 5 m) he distant. increase female not itself significant although overall change for was. Despite lower ranking, showed approximately average daily growth an induced tail feather (i.e. indicating equal nutritional status) winter as did. It is suggested that, protecting his from dominant members securing access preferred resources, male might probability survival thus able start breeding early on following spring.