A sex-specific behavioral syndrome in a wild passerine

Animals often exhibit consistent individual differences in behavior (i.e. animal personality) and correlations between behaviors (i.e. behavioral syndromes), yet the causes of those patterns of behavioral variation remain insufficiently understood. Many authors hypothesize that state-dependent behavior produces animal personality and behavioral syndromes. However, empirical studies assessing patterns of covariation among behavioral traits and state variables have produced mixed results. New statistical methods that partition correlations into between-individual and residual within-individual correlations offer an opportunity to more sufficiently quantify relationships among behaviors and state variables to assess hypotheses of animal personality and behavioral syndromes. In a population of wild Belding's ground squirrels (Urocitellus beldingi) we repeatedly measured activity, exploration, and response to restraint behaviors alongside glucocorticoids and nutritional condition. We used multivariate mixed models to determine whether between-individual or within-individual correlations drive phenotypic relationships among traits. Squirrels had consistent individual differences for all five traits. At the between-individual level, activity and exploration were positively correlated whereas both traits negatively correlated with response to restraint, demonstrating a behavioral syndrome. At the within-individual level, condition negatively correlated with cortisol, activity and exploration. Importantly, this indicates that although behavior is state-dependent, which may play a role in animal personality and behavioral syndromes, feedback mechanisms between condition and behavior appear not to produce consistent individual differences in behavior and correlations between them.

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“…; Fresneau et al. ), especially when considering behavior alongside physiology or condition (Ferrari et al. ; Kluen et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Within‐Individual Correlations Reveal Link Between a Behavioral Syndrome, Condition, and Cortisol in Free‐Ranging Belding's Ground Squirrels

2014

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“…In fact, as discussed above, there can also be among-individual variation in plasticity (I Â E interactions) [29]. Mixed model methods for estimating focal and opponent repeatabilities are readily extended to test for and quantify I Â E. This approach was recently applied in a study on blue tits, where females that defended their nestlings more intensively were actually less aggressive when 'defending' themselves against a human handler [39].…”

Section: Repeatability Of Agonistic Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

Animal personality as a cause and consequence of contest behaviour

2015

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We review the evidence for a link between consistent among-individual variation in behaviour (animal personality) and the ability to win contests over limited resources. Explorative and bold behaviours often covary with contest behaviour and outcome, although there is evidence that the structure of these 'behavioural syndromes' can change across situations. Aggression itself is typically repeatable, but also subject to high within-individual variation as a consequence of plastic responses to previous fight outcomes and opponent traits. Common proximate mechanisms (gene expression, endocrine control and metabolic rates) may underpin variation in both contest behaviour and general personality traits. Given the theoretical links between the evolution of fighting and of personality, we suggest that longitudinal studies of contest behaviour, combining behavioural and physiological data, would be a useful context for the study of animal personalities.

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“…Currently, great focus is given to five classes of personality traits proposed by Réale, Reader, Sol, McDougall, and Dingemanse (), namely activity, aggressiveness, boldness, exploration, and sociability. Traits in these domains are measured with standard tests, which typically target behaviors exhibited in non‐breeding contexts (Carter, Feeney, Marshall, Cowlishaw, & Heinsohn, ; but see Fresneau, Kluen, & Brommer, ; Thys et al., ). This approach has the benefit of allowing wide cross‐taxa comparisons, and at the same time it also restricts the inclusion of behaviors that may be extremely relevant to the ecology of a species if they do not fall easily within these five classes (Koski, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parenting styles in white‐rumped swallows (Tachycineta leucorrhoa) show a trade‐off between nest defense and chick feeding

et al. 2018

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Studies about personalities in wild animals usually focus on five categories of behavioral traits that do not easily accommodate all aspects of parental care, a class of behaviors with direct consequence to reproductive success. Parental care can vary consistently between individuals and constitute parenting styles. Here we investigate the consistency of four behaviors of parental care across two breeding seasons of white‐rumped swallows Tachycineta leucorrhoa in southern Brazil. These behaviors are a prospection of potential nest‐sites, nest defense against predators or conspecifics, and chick feeding. If these first three behaviors are consistent, they can be classified according to the standard categories of personality as exploration, boldness, and aggressiveness, respectively. We find that all behaviors, except exploration, are consistent between individuals in the long term. We also show that, besides individual identity, couple identity is an important component explaining variation in behavior. This pattern can arise if behavior influences pair formation or if behavior is a consequence of a common environment affecting the couple. We show that, depending on the parental task, males or females are more consistent, suggesting that sexes are adopting different strategies of parental care allocation. We then investigate if there is a trade‐off between nest defense and chick feeding. We find that birds that defend more also feed the brood less often and suggest that testosterone might be the mechanism modulating this trade‐off. Lastly, we discuss the implications of our results to mate choice and highlight the need for studies linking parenting styles to fitness in swallow species.

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A sex-specific behavioral syndrome in a wild passerine

Cited by 46 publications

References 42 publications

Within‐Individual Correlations Reveal Link Between a Behavioral Syndrome, Condition, and Cortisol in Free‐Ranging Belding's Ground Squirrels

Within‐Individual Correlations Reveal Link Between a Behavioral Syndrome, Condition, and Cortisol in Free‐Ranging Belding's Ground Squirrels

Animal personality as a cause and consequence of contest behaviour

Parenting styles in white‐rumped swallows (Tachycineta leucorrhoa) show a trade‐off between nest defense and chick feeding

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