A Test of the Adaptiveness of Interspecific Territoriality in the Blue-Throated Hummingbird

Lyon DL, Crandall J, Mckone M. 1977. A Test of the Adaptiveness of Interspecific Territoriality in the Blue-Throated Hummingbird. The Auk. 94(3):448-454

This paper tests Murray's nonadaptive model of interspecific territoriality in birds. He believes that it is mistaken as misdirected intraspecific territoriality. Hypotheses was tested by manipulating the size of an artificially induced territory of a male Blue-throated Hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae). Murray's assumption was proven wrong when results show that the male Blue-throated Hummingbird demonstrated an ability to distinguish male from female conspecifics thus supporting the theory that interspecific territoriality is adaptive.

Type
Journal Article
Authors
Lyon, David; Crandall, James; Mckone, Mark
Units
CHIR
Keywords
Animal Behavior, Animals, Birds (Aves), blue-throated hummingbird (Lampornis clemenciae), Chiricahua Mountains (AZ), Trochilidae

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