Sex-bias and timing of natal dispersal in cooperatively breeding Puff-throated Bulbuls Alophoixus pallidus

Journal article

Authors/Editors

GEORGE ANDREW GALE

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Publication Details

Author list: Sankamethawee W., Hardesty B.D., Gale G.A.

Publisher: Wiley: No OnlineOpen / Springer Verlag (Germany)

Publication year: 2010

Journal: Journal für Ornithologie (0021-8375)

Volume number: 151

Issue number: 4

Start page: 779

End page: 789

Number of pages: 11

ISSN: 0021-8375

URL: https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-77956671574&doi=10.1007%2fs10336-010-0511-2&partnerID=40&md5=41b7786d694d4e3615696e1c050124c0

Languages: English-Great Britain (EN-GB)

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Abstract

While natal dispersal can have a significant impact on population dynamics, it is typically difficult to quantify. We investigated timing of natal dispersal of the cooperatively breeding Puff-throated Bulbul Alophoixus pallidus in a tropical evergreen forest by modelling the probability of staying in or dispersing from their natal territory whilst taking into account the effects of sex, group size, and the presence of helper(s). Birds did not disperse until the beginning of and during the breeding season following the hatching year. Dispersal was strongly female-biased both in frequency and distance: Most females (95%) dispersed away from their natal territories, and of those relocated, traversed 2-7 territories. In contrast, 50% of males remained in the natal territory as helpers in their second year, while relocated dispersing males crossed 1-2 territories. Natal dispersal was not influenced by either group size or the presence of helpers. Males that fledged earlier in the breeding season exhibited higher rates of philopatry than the males that fledged later, but no correlation between fledging date and philopatry was observed in females. The probability of staying in the natal territory during the second year was 0.58 ฑ 0.14 SE and 0.05 ฑ 0.04 for males and females, respectively. These findings may add to our understanding of how natal dispersal can reflect social patterns and kin structure in cooperative breeding species from a little-studied tropical forest region. ฉ 2010 Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V.

Keywords

Natal dispersal, Sex-biased dispersal