Topic
Grassquit
About: Grassquit is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 13 publications have been published within this topic receiving 133 citations.
Papers
TL;DR: Results suggest that the Blue-black Grassquit does not fit into the traditional lek mating system, contrary to what has been proposed in the scarce literature available, but it is clear that these apparently monogamous birds behave like a lekking species.
Abstract: In this study, we investigated the role of display and mating system of the little known Neotropical Blue-black Grassquit (Volatinia jacarina). Males form aggregations and execute a highly conspicuous display, resembling traditional leks. Number of displaying males declined throughout the study period, though displaying intensity during the season showed no variation. Individual males had significantly different displaying rates and also defended territories of very different sizes, ranging from 13.0 to 72.5 m2, but we found no association between territory sizes and the average displaying rates of the resident males. There also is no association between displaying rates of males and size and vegetation structure of their territories. Four of seven nests were found within male territories and observations indicated that both sexes invest equally in caring for nestlings. Results suggest that the Blue-black Grassquit does not fit into the traditional lek mating system, contrary to what has been pro...
55 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors demonstrate that male blue-black grassquits (Volatinia jacarina) display by leaping vertically above the top of the dense grass in which they perch and emitting a high pitched call.
Abstract: Male blue-black grassquits (Volatinia jacarina) display by leaping vertically above the top of the dense grass in which they perch and emitting a high pitched call. Acoustic-transmission experiments demonstrated that calls broadcast from above the high grass typical of grassquit habitat attenuated less over distance than identical calls broadcast from typical perch heights within the grass. By leaping when they call, grassquits might enhance the distance over which their call can be detected.
30 citations
TL;DR: It is suggested that an increase in the variance of bill size of island grassquits occurs only in large populations and concomitant with an increases in the number of habitats occupied by the population.
Abstract: The feeding ecology of the yellow—faced grassquit (Tiaris olivacea) was studied on a large island (Jamaica) and on the mainland (Costa Rica). Despite an apparent reduction in competition on Jamaica, yellow—faced grassquits are less abundant in Jamaica than in Costa Rica and are found in approximately the same number of habitats on the island and on the mainland. There seem to be no changes in the magnitude, variance, and sexual dimorphism of hill size of island grassquits which would lead to their eating more kinds of food than the mainland grassquits. However, in a series of experiments on seed—size preference, it was noted that the grassquits from Jamaica were significantly less stereotyped in their choice of seed size than were the Costa Rican grassquits. It is suggested that an increase in the variance of bill size of island grassquits occurs only in large populations and concomitant with an increase in the number of habitats occupied by the population. See full-text article at JSTOR
26 citations
Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso1, Rutgers University2, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais3, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute4, University of Otago5, University of Brasília6, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University7, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte8, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto9, University of São Paulo10
TL;DR: The findings suggest that avian haemosporidian prevalence and diversity in Blue-black Grassquit populations are determined by recent anthropogenic changes in vegetation cover that may alter microclimate, thus influencing vector activity and parasite transmission.
12 citations
TL;DR: This is the first species of Philopteridae recorded from this Neotropical passeriform species, Volatinia jacarina, in Brazil, based on lice collected from the blue-black grassquit.
Abstract: A new species of Brueelia Keler, 1936 is described and illustrated, based on lice collected from the blue-black grassquit, Volatinia jacarina (Linnaeus, 1766), in Brazil. This is the first species of Philopteridae recorded from this Neotropical passeriform species.
11 citations
Related Topics (5)
Performance Metrics
| Year | Papers |
|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2017 | 1 |
| 2014 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2008 | 1 |