Reprinted .ti·onl AVICULTURAL MAGAZINE. J'o!. 79. No.5. GraY- Headed Silverbill p. 148 September-October 19 73 (Odontospiza caniceps) COURTSHIP DISPLAYS AND THE TAXONOMIC POSITIONS

By Luis F. Baptista, Ph.d. Professor of Biology, Moore Laboratory of Zoology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California

Until the study of Guttinger (1970), chronize mated pairs. LW, was observed performing this display the Grey-headed Silverhill (Odontospiza The display of my wild-trapped male twice. This display is similar to that des­ [ Lonchuraj caniceps) was one of the least Left-Yellow (LY) was as follows: With cribed for other estrildids, for example, known of the mannikins (Lonchurae ). Be­ bill mandibulating and pointed at an the species of Uraeginthus (Goodwin, tween January 1971 and March I972 I angle skywards, head and tail turned I965). In the Red Avadavat ( Amandava kept two wild caught pairs of these estril­ towards the female, the belly slightly amandava), a similar display is given, but dids, as well as four males and two females fluffed, L Y would sing his long song. If only to strange females (Kunkel, I 959; which were hatched and raised in my home the female changed perches, he· would Goodwin, I960). by Striated Finches ( Lonchura striata). I follow her, keeping the same posture and Inverted Curtsey. After a period of made previously unreported observations continuing to sing whenever he landed singing in the crouched position, male on the behavior of these individuals. Some next to her. If she remained still, he would LW erected himself. With bill still wide of these observations appear to be of taxo­ approach her in short hops, while still open, tongue still protruding and moving nomic importance. In describing displays, singing and posturing. Sometimes the fe­ back and forth, head and tail pointed the terms "inverted curtsey", "lateral male would respond with tail quivering towards the female, and belly feathers pivoting", and "leap-frogging" used in typical estrildid manner. Irrespective slightly fluffed, the male performed in­ throughout this paper, are after Morris of the female's behavior, the male would verted curtsies. At higher intensity the (1957). often fly on her back, attempting to body was bent away from the female Each breeding pair was kept alone in a copulate. Usually he would leap-frog off. (Fig. 2) and inverted curtsies were alter­ cage measuring 22 in. x I8 in. x 2I in. Only on one occasion did copulation nated with lateral pivoting movements of When not breeding, they were kept in a ensue. the body. When performing inverted curt­ cage 22 in. x 36 in. x 49.5 in. along with L Y's display was similar to the second sies, the male slowly approached the fe­ some other estrildids. The birds were part of the display described by Guttinger male in a series of small hops. Sometimes colour-banded for individual recognition. (I970). The position and movements of he danced away from the female. Inverted COURTSHIP DISPLAY the bill were similar to that seen in soli­ curtsies were interspersed with bows and/ Guttinger ( I970) describes the court­ tary song (Guttinger, foe. cit.), however, or displacement bill wipes. Sometimes the ship display of this species as follows: the lateral pivoting movements of the head male merely nodded at the female, prob­ The male grasps a grass stem by one end were absent. Only on one occasion did L Y ably an intention movement to bow (Mor­ in the manner of many other estrildids. perform inverted curtsies during court-. ris, I958). On a few occasions, double He flies before the female, then performs ship. Although there were always grass bows were observed, one bow followed inverted curtsies accompanied by song. stems in the cage which LY utilized in immediately by another. As in submissive The inverted curtsey is a bobbing move­ nest-building, these were never used in courtship display, the wing distal to the ment in which the main component is an display. female was often flicked out and in very upward thrust imparted by a straighten­ The display of my second wild trapped rapidly. On one occasion (I 9th February ing of the legs. The female then performs male, Left-White (LW), differed markedly I972) the wing was also quivered as in inverted curtsies in synchrony with the from that of LY. His display may be juvenile begging display (Guttinger, I 970). male, but without song or a grass stem. divided into the following two parts: (i) The female sometimes responded with After a while, the male drops his grass the submissive courtship portion (termi­ inverted curtsey displays. On rare occa­ stem, and turning his bill and tail in the nology after Goodwin, 1965) and (ii) the sions this was followed by tail quivering. direction of the female, sings his long inverted curtsey portion. The first display Copulation was observed only twice (see song. The male's display is -often accom­ was usually followed by the second, al­ below). panied by bowing (the "low twist posture" though each could be performed without LW and LY's displays could be elicited of Moynihan and Hall, I954), whic-h in the other. by reintroducing their females to them turn often passes to displacement bill Submissive Courtship. In this display, after a short period of separation. When wiping. The above ceremony may also be the male crouched on a perch next to the not breeding, LW would display to any initiated by the female, if she flies before female. The feathers of the belly were strange con specific, irrespective of its sex, the male and begins inverted curtsies. This fluffed and covered most of the legs with when the latter was introduced into the display is infrequently, though regularly, only part of the toes showing. Its body cage holding him and his mate. When performed during pair-formation and be­ was bent slightly away from the female. breeding, LW would ignore or attack fore the laying of the first egg. In con­ With head and sometimes the tail pointed strange conspecifics introduced into its trast to most other estrildids, the inverted in her direction, with bill wide open, and breeding cage. curtsey display of this mannikin has never tongue protruding and moving back and Three other males, offspring of LY, been observed to lead to copulation. forth, the male sang to her. Frequently, were observed performing stem displays Frequently the display is followed by the male's wing distal to the female was as described by Guttinger (I 970). These allopreening, or both partners feed. Gutt­ flicked out and in very rapidly several were never at high intensity, as observa­ inger (I970: I 052) has suggested that this times during singing (Fig. I). A second tions were made when the birds were still display functions to stimulate and syn- male, Right-Black (RB), the offspring of juveniles. continued on next page 21 COPULATION However, Immel mann (I 965) informs us with food is also often slightly extended. At 6:47 p.m. on 9th February 1971 a that:"... there is great individual variation The flicking distal wing in the submissive successful copulation was observed be­ in this species. Some males never use a courtship display of the Grey-headed tween male LY and his mate Right-Red piece of grass, others never sing with bill Silver bill is probably an intention move­ (RR). I was sitting about 3 ft. from their wide open ...." ment to extend and quiver that wing. This breeding cage when I heard L Y complete Copulation has not hitherto been des­ opinion was held by Goodwin (I 965) who two songs. !looked up to see LYon RR's cribed for the Grey-headed Silverhill. It made similar observations on species of back, his wings fluttering rapidly and tail has been suggested that for the Grey­ Uraeginthus. I have reported on one ob­ thrust under hers in the act of coition. headed Silver bill and in forms of Spermes­ servation of a Grey-headed Silverbill quiv­ After dismounting he flew back and forth tes, copulation takes place normally in­ ering a wing during courtship. between two perches placed 1 ~ ft. apart. side the nest (Guttinger 1970, Kunkel Relationship to Spermestes. LW's com­ He next flew beside the female, and both 1965). Kunkel (1965: 175) observed only plete display was similar in many respects birds then engaged in displacement auto­ one copulation for Spermestes ( Lonchura) to that of the Bronze Mannikin as des­ preening. At 6:54 p.m. the same day LY bicolor. However, Morris (1957) was of cribed by Morris (1957). The Bronze performed the same display described the opinion that with the Bronze Manni­ Mannikin also begins its courtship dance

earlier. He flew on his mate's 1back in an kins (Spermestes [ Lonchura] cucullata) with a crouched display, with the bill attempt to mount her but she did not copulation on a branch was the usual open, and the tongue protruding and respond. RR laid her first egg on 15th method, suggesting that he must have ob­ moving. This is followed by an inverted February 1971. served this more than once. It may not be curtsey display, and lateral pivoting when On I st January 1972 male LW was too unusual then, for the Grey-headed performed at higher intensity. Morris' observed performing high intensity display Silverhill to occasionally copulate on a birds also danced toward and away from to his mate (unhanded). She solicited with branch in the usual estrildid manner. In­ the female, and leap-frogging was des­ tail quivering, her head was slightly up­ deed, several aviculturists (summarized in cribed. The similar postures of the solicit­ turned and bill wide open. The male leap­ lmmelmann et al. 1972, in press) have ing females of the two species have been frogged over her back four times, but no also observed tail quivering by female discussed. The differences between LW's copulation ensued. Grey-headed Silverbills in response to the displays and those of the Bronze Manni­ A copulation was observed between courtship dance of the male. An alterna­ kin are that (i) LW's bill was pointed up the same pair on 12th February 1972. tive interpretation of these observations whereas that of the Bronze Mannikin was The male displayed at full intensity, and would be that this is an artifact of cap­ pointed down. (ii) Wing flicks were absent the female solicited copulation with the tivity (see lmmelmann et al., loc. cit.}, from the display of the Bronze Mannikin. tail quivering, her head slightly upturned, that awaits verification by field study. (iii) The tongue was moved more rapidly and bill wide open. After leap-frogging It is noteworthy that the bill open, head (quivered) in the Bronze Mannikin. (iv) off her back twice, the male finally mount­ up posture of one of my soliciting female Soliciting female Bronze Mannikins pro­ ed. He stood perched on her back with Grey-headed Silverbills was also observed truded their tongues. tail widely spread for a few seconds, dur­ in Bronze Mannikins by Morris (1957). Subsequent to Morris' (1957) study of ing which time the female's tail was still Females of the latter species, however, the Bronze Mannikins, Kunkel (I 959, quivering. He finally copulated with her. also protrude their tongue when soliciting. 1965) and Guttinger (1970) have studied After he had dismounted and flown to Morris (loc. cit.) considered these to be and compared courtship displays of all another perch, the female was seen per­ important components of the female's the forms of Spermestes. The last two forming inverted curtsies. At 12 noon on display, derived from the nest building authors both concluded that courtship 27th February 1972 LW displayed to his elements of "mandibulating and scoop­ displays of all forms of Spermestes are mate at high intensity and the female ing." similar, but with quantitative differences solicited with tail quivering. The male Derivation of Display Components. with regard to the frequency of occur­ leap-frogged off her back once, then copu­ The submissive courtship display of the rence of the display components. lated with her. The female performed dis­ Grey-headed Silverhill is very likely de­ The Grey-jleaded Silverbill has been placement bill wiping after coitus, and rived from the begging display of the placed by some authors in the genus (or the male preened his belly. juvenile. The posture of the head (Figs. I subgenus) Euodice along with the two DISCUSSION and 2), the waving tongue and wide open Silver bills Euodice ( Lonchura) malabarica There appears to be individual varia­ bill are all found in the begging juvenile, and E.(L.) cantans (see review in Guttin­ tion in the displays of Grey-headed Silver­ which does not always twist its head in ger, 1970). Guttinger (1970; and personal bills. Whereas inverted curtsies were al­ the more usual estrildid manner (Personal observations) has shown that in a number ways performed by LW, they were rare in observation). Guttinger (I 970) reported of behavioral characters (vocalizations, L Y's displays. Whereas stem displays were that the young Grey-headed Silverbills fighting postures, copulation in the nest, performed by Guttinger's birds and three also quiver their wings when begging. absence of peering behavior) the Grey­ of the four offspring hatched in my bird Wing quivering is rare in estrildid finches, headed Silverhill more closely resembles room, I could never induce LW or L Y to and has been described in Aeginthia tem­ the African mannikins of the genus (or use stems in their displays. Moreover, poralis, Erythrura prasina (Guttinger subgenus)Spermestes. My observations on displaying with bill wide open and tongue 1970, lmmelmann 1965) and Lagbnosticta the epigamic displays of LW and RB indi­ wagging were observed only in two birds rubricata (Goodwin, 1964). Friedmann cate that the courtship displays of the (LW and RB) (I 960 : 25) reported that nestlings of Grey-headed Silverbill, although variable, Individual variation of this degree is Estrilda subjlava "move one or sometimes fall within the range of variation of that not unusual among the Lonchurae. In the both wings forward in a jerking, spasmodic of species of Spermestes, lending support Cherry Finch ( Aidemosyne modesta), for gesture". My observations indicate that in to Guttinger's conclusion of their close example, males also have a stem display, begging juveniles of Grey-headed Silver­ relationship. followed by singing with bill wide open. bills the wing distal from the parent bird The use of the vernacular "Grey-head­ Continued on page 25 myth regarding tropical spiders, that are examine the instrument designed ror their comments on the manuscript. anJ 1\lr. anJ so large, they catch birds. He refers to the capture." Mrs. John A. Thomas for all the patic11cc spiders of genus Mygale when he says, Martin explains a theory that suggests and effort in photographing my birds. "Several and enormous species exist in that thickly insulated nests of the Hum­ Cuba [but] cannot possibly catch bird ming-birds are designed to protect eggs REFERENCES because it spins no net. .. and finally, be­ and babies from the extreme static elec­ Friedmann, H. 1960. The Parasitic· \\'c·avnbinb. cause Mygale is in itself too inactive in its tricity often present in tropical thunder U.S. Nat/. 11/us. Bull. 223 . Good\\'in, D. 1964. Observations on the Dark motions ... to be able to get near a Hum­ storms. Firetlnch, with some comparisons with ming-bird which, as far as I have seen, There are one hundred twenty seven Jameson's Fire linch. A ricu/1. 11/ag.. 70: never perches except on branches." There pages of this marvelous commentary about 80- 105. Goodwin, D. 1965. i\ comparative 'ludy or c:lj>­ are six pages dealing with spider lore and Humming-birds. Some of it is fallacious. tive Blue Waxbills (t:strildidae}. /his I 07: reflecting it to Humming-birds. Some of it is extremely accurate. All of it 285- 315. is delightful. Guttinger. H.R. 1970. Zur Fvolution von Ver­ ln another very interesting passage haltenswei~cn und Lautau"erum!c'n bei Martin relates how a female Iango Hum­ If you ever have an opportunity to Pracht lin ken (Estrildidae} .7.. Tierp~yclwl .. ming-bird, sitting upon two eggs, was cap­ purchase or even examine this wonderful 27: 1011 1075. lmmelmann. K. 1965. Australian l:inl"itL'' in tured with the nest. She hatched the eggs little book, by all means do o. The color Bush and Aviary. Angus and Robertson on shipboard during passage from Jamaica plates alone are worth it, and even without Ltd., Sydney, New South Wales. the plates, the text is so original and en­ lmmelmann, K., Steinbacher. J .. and Wolter ~. to England. The hen died shortly there­ H.E. 1972. In Vogel in Karig und Volinc·. after, but the two babies were delivered to gaging as to insure your reward . pp. 43t 440. Aachen. / 11 press. London, where they survived about two Kunkel, P. 1959. Zum Verhaltcn e inigcr Pracht­ tlnken (Estrildillae}. Z. Tierpsyclwl. , 16: months. Martin says that it is not possible SILVERBILL Cont'd from pg 23 302 350. to preserve Humming-birds in captivity. ed Silverbill" for Odontospiza ( Lonchura) Kunkel, P. 1965. Verhaltensstudicn an den kon tin en talafrikanischen Elsten:hen(Sper· Fortunately, our modern technology has canicaps would seem misleading, there­ mesres Swainson). Vogelwarre. 86: 161 overcome many of the problems of Mar­ fore, because it implies a close relation­ 178. tin's time and it is now possible to rear ship to the Silverbills (Euodice), 1 propose Morris, D. 1957. The reproductive bl'havior or the Bronze Mannikin. Lonclwra cucal· some Humming-birds in aviaries. the name "Pearl-headed Mannikin" for /ala. Behavior, II: 156 20 1. He refers to the intelligence of the this distinctive estrildid, a name similar to Morris. D. 1958. The comparative ethology or Grassllnches (Ery thrurae} and Mannikin~ small birds saying, " . .. the intelligence the German "Perlhalsamadine". (Amadinae). Proc. Zoo/. Soc. /,and., of these tiny beings is manifested in their 131: 389- 439. inquisitiveness; if struck at as they dart ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Moynihan, M. , and Hall, M.F. 1954. Host ile, sexual and other social behavior patterns along. . . they will hover around the I thank Drs. Klaus [mmelmann, Ned of the Spice f'inch (Lonchura puuctu­ aggressor, peer closely in to his face, or K. Johnson , and my wife, Joyce, for their lara} in captivity. Behavior, 7: 33 76 . Rumidaire The Incubator and Separate Hatcher for your Game Bird Egg Hatching

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