Is the ultraviolet waveband a special communication channel in avian mate choice?

There is growing evidence that ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths play an important role in avian mate choice. One of the first experiments to support this idea showed that female zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) prefer UV-reflecting males to males whose ultraviolet reflection has been removed. The effect was very strong despite little or no UV reflection from several plumage areas. However, it is not clear how the importance of the UV waveband compares to other regions of the bird-visible spectrum. We tested whether the response of female zebra finches to the removal of male UV reflection is greater than to the removal of other wavebands. We presented females with a choice of males whose appearance was manipulated using coloured filters. The filters removed single blocks of the avian visible spectrum corresponding closely to the spectral sensitivities of each of the zebra finch's single cone classes. This resulted in males that effectively had no UV (UV-), no short-wave (SW-), no medium-wave (MW-) or no long-wave (LW-) plumage reflection. Females preferred UV- and SW- males. LW- and MW- males were least preferred, suggesting that female zebra finches show the greatest response to the removal of longer wavelengths. Quantal catches of the single cone types viewing body areas of the male zebra finch are presented for each treatment. Our study suggests it is important to consider the role of the UV waveband in avian mate choice in conjunction with the rest of the avian visible spectrum.

Preferences for ultraviolet partners in the blue tit

The preference of female blue tits, Parus caeruleus, is correlated with the brightness of the ultraviolet (UV) crest; there is also assortative mating with respect to the crest's UV/violet chroma. However, manipulation of plumage reflectance is necessary to infer a direct causal link between UV plumage and mate choice. We gave both male and female blue tits a choice between a W-reflecting ('UV+') partner and a partner whose UV plumage reflectance had been removed ('UV-'). Male blue tits significantly preferred UV+ females. Similarly, female blue tits tended to prefer UV-reflecting males, but their UV+ preferences were nonsignificant. Neither sex showed a preference when conspecifics were replaced by a heterospecific. This study suggests mutual mate choice but male choice may be more strongly influenced by the visual appearance of potential mates. This is one of a few studies to show male mate preferences and the first demonstration of a direct relationship between UV reflectance and;male mate choice. (C) 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.