Female Deer Responses to Male Mating Calls
Author Information
Author(s): Wyman Megan T., Charlton Benjamin D., Locatelli Yann, Reby David
Primary Institution: University of Sussex
Hypothesis
Female red deer will prefer conspecific calls over heterospecific calls.
Conclusion
Most female red deer preferred male red deer roars over male sika deer moans, but some showed interest in the latter, indicating potential for hybridization.
Supporting Evidence
- Female red deer showed no significant difference in attention behaviors between the two types of calls.
- Females entered the proximity zone for red deer calls significantly more often than for sika deer calls.
- Two females spent more time near the sika deer calls, indicating variability in preferences.
Takeaway
Female red deer usually like the calls of their own kind better than those of other deer, but some might still be attracted to different kinds, which could lead to mixing between species.
Methodology
Playback experiments were conducted using two-speaker choice tests of male mating calls on female red deer during estrus.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the familiarity of females with red deer calls but not with sika deer calls.
Limitations
The study was conducted in a controlled environment, which may not fully represent natural conditions.
Participant Demographics
Twenty female red deer aged 2-15 years.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.015
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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