Experimental Evidence That Female-Female Pairs in Gulls Result from a Shortage of Breeding Males
Conover MR and Hunt GL. 1984. Experimental Evidence That Female-Female Pairs in Gulls Result from a Shortage of Breeding Males. The Condor. 86(4):472-476
We tested the hypothesis that female-female pairings in Ring-billed (Larus delawarensis) and California gulls (L. californicus) result from a shortage of males in the breeding population. This hypothesis was tested by removing males from one Ring-billed and four California gull colonies early in the breeding season. The frequency of 4-6 egg clutches, which we used as an index of female-female pairings, was significantly higher in these colonies than in nearby control colonies, thus supporting our hypothesis. Our results indicate that female-female pairings allow females the chance to breed when they are unable to obtain a male partner.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Conover, Michael; Hunt, George
- Units
- CHIS
- Keywords
- Animal Studies, homosexual pairing, Santa Barbara Island Channel Islands National Park CA, Sex Ratio, Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)