Female choice for high roaring rates in red deer, Cervus elaphus

摘要: Red deer males roar loudly and repeatedly during the breeding season. A series of playback experiments, carried out on farmed red in New Zealand, revealed that females preferred a high to low roaring rate, but not low-pitched high-pitched roars. In free-ranging deer, fundamental frequency (the main determinant pitch) is related body weight or reproductive success, whereas rate positively associated with both success fighting ability. Female choice for rates may either reflect selection pressure mate are successful contests other show easy locate. Females also bout was delivered first sequence, suggesting they prefer stags initiate bouts roaring. This study demonstrate experimentally vocal characteristics male mammals can influence female's mating partner.