COURTSHIP FOOD-CALLING IN BURMESE RED JUNGLEFOWL: III. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE MALE'S BEHAVIOR

Abstract

AbstractFood - calling is a display performed by male fowl during courtship. In a series of experiments with adult male junglefowl, we manipulated food deprivation, variety of food available, sexual experience, familiarity with a female, and familiarity with the environment. We measured the frequency and duration of food - calling to a female during standardized tests, and in some experiments we also measured the distance between male and female. Our results show that all the variables had significant effects on food - calling. We interpret these results to mean that causal factors associated with hunger, sex, and fear/exploration all influence the occurrence of food - calling. Some comparisons of courtship food - calling with parental foodcalling and food - running are discussed with respect to the causation, function, and evolution of these displays.