In this project Dr. Ward and Mr. Murillo will investigate the spatio-temporal movements of birds within and between their territories and their extra-pair interactions. The researchers will study the strategies that birds use to find and select extra-pair mates, how often females produce young that are not sired by their pair-mates, the influence of male quality on extra-pair mating and the fitness consequences of extra-pair mating. This information will contribute to the development of effective habitat and landscape management practices for protecting shrubland birds, like the Field Sparrows in this study. This study takes advantage of an automated tracking system allowing the researchers to follow the movements of birds. It is often thought that because territorial birds compete for nest sites, food, mates, and other resources they should try to space themselves as far apart possible. This research tests an alternative hypothesis that birds (both males and females) benefit from being near one another. Therefore when trying to conserve this and other species the best approach may be to manage large areas that can accommodate many nesting individuals. In addition, Mr. Murillo, a Latino researcher, will develop "Go Wild Field Day" at a local nature preserve to encourage Latinos from high schools in the Champaign area to choose careers in science. During the field day, students and teachers will learn a range of field techniques for studying animals.
Paternity studies revolutionized our view of avian mating and reproductive systems, yet, very little research has focused on understanding the behavioral mechanisms used by males and females to acquire extra-pair matings, how these behaviors vary among individuals and over time, and the relative contribution of such behaviors to an individual's overall reproductive performance. The relative use of each active search and passive mating sit and wait tactics may depend on numerous factors, such as sex, age, and individual quality. Dr. Ward and Mr. Murillo will use a novel technology, automated radio telemetry, to monitor activity and extraterritorial forays in male and female Field Sparrows (Spizella pussilla) over larger areas, long periods of time and at night. The researchers will also examine the behavioral and morphological correlates of birds conducting these forays. They will test the hypothesis that individual variation in foray behavior appears to be linked to male individual quality (based on song performance and body condition). Using previously collected blood samples of offspring, the researchers propose to investigate the influence of mate and extra-pair mate quality and cuckoldry on male and female foray behavior. The data collected from this research will be archived within movebank (www.movebank.org/); a free, online data repository of animal tracking data hosted by Max Planck Institute for Ornithology. The movement/activity, reproductive and acoustic data on Field Sparrows will also be archived at the University of Illinois' IDEALs (Illinois Digital Environment for Access to Learning and Scholarship) and in Dr. Ward's laboratory.
