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Effect of Pairing Status on Use of Space by Territorial Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus): Bachelor Males Choose Life on the Edge

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dc.contributor.authorHannon, Susan, J.
dc.contributor.authorEason, Perri K.
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-01T12:00:12Z
dc.date.available2025-05-01T12:00:12Z
dc.date.issued2003
dc.descriptionOne function of territorial defense may be to facilitate mate guarding by resident males. To assess the importance of mate guarding in territoriality, we examined the spatial pattern of intrusions by male Willow Ptarmigan(Lagopusla gopus) on the territories of other males and we compared use of territorial space by paired and bachelor males. Because intruding males tended to remain near territorial boundaries of other males more than expected by chance, we expected paired males to avoid areas near boundaries, where the chances of the female encountering another male would be higher. We found that before females had settled onto territories, all resident males used boundary areas of their territories extensively. After females settled, however, paired males remained almost exclusively in the cores of their territories, whereas bachelor males continued to use primarily the edges of their territories.T hose patterns of space use suggest that the benefits of having more exclusive access to a mate may be one of the selective forces driving territorialb ehavior in this species
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.7939/R3CJ87X0T
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsThis version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.
dc.subjectBirds
dc.subjectSize
dc.subjectPolygyny
dc.subjectBlack-capped Chickadees
dc.subjectCosts
dc.subjectExtrapair paternity
dc.subjectFloaters
dc.titleEffect of Pairing Status on Use of Space by Territorial Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus): Bachelor Males Choose Life on the Edge
dc.typehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501 http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
ual.jupiterAccesshttp://terms.library.ualberta.ca/public

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