Year: 1971
Type: article
Abstract: COURTSHIP feeding is widespread among birds and has presumably evolved independently from different origins (Lack, 1940, Johnston, 1962).Lack and Johnston reported courtship feeding in only two species of Galliformes, but Williams et al. (1968) list 12 species.This paper reports on the widespread occurrence of courtship feeding in galliforms, the nature of the display movements and calls involved, and their relationship to parental feeding behavior.Information came in part from the literature but mostly from close observation of some 60 species of galliforms in captivity at the San Diego Zoo, the Los Angeles Zoo, and the large private collectio.n of Alfred D. Hinkle, in Alpine, California.We are grateful to Mr. Hinkle and K. C. Lint, Curator of Birds at the San Diego Zoo, for their assistance.PROCEDURES This study was made from January through June 1969.With few exceptions the birds were caged as pairs in dirt or sand-covered outdoor pens, their only food being provided by the keepers.At the San Diego Zoo the Red Jungle Fowl, Helmeted Guinea Fowl, and Indian Peafowl were unconfined (for scientific names see Table 1).In addition we studied the following species in enclosures with seminatural habitat: Erckel's Francolin, Mountain Quail, Common Coturnix, Rain Quail, Roulroul Partridge, Swinhoe Pheasant, and Silver Pheasant.To test the occurrence of courtship feeding we offered mealworms, which previous experience showed us were almost certain to elicit courtship feeding if it were to occur at all.Live crickets, shelled peanuts, corn, and various berries also worked well.We ran tests throughout the 6 months to see at what stage in the breeding cycle the courtship feeding began and ended, and how it changed in form and intensity as the season progressed.Food calls were recorded on a Uher 4000-Report L at 7• ips using Uher Model 696 semidirectional microphone.Sound spectrographs were made on a Kay Sound Spectrograph Model 6061A using FI-1 and wide band settings.Characteristics of those calls will be presented elsewhere.Courtship feeding for 23 species of galliforms was documented on movie film. RESULTSCourtship feeding, as used in this paper, is the presenting of food or pseudo-food by the male to the female during the breeding season, usually accompanied by display movement and calling.Domm (1927) called this behavior "tidbitting" in the domestic fowl, a term which has widespread usage in the literature.In the generalized form of courtship feeding the male goes.up to a piece of preferred food, or discovers something while foraging, and begins to call.He may stand over the food, dabble with it, or actually pick it up.
Authors: Allen W. Stokes, Heather Williams
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2741145647