MATE SELECTION BY REPEATED INSPECTION - MORE ON PIED FLYCATCHERS

Our understanding of deceit in animal signalling is limited by our con ceptual tools as well as by the available data. Mate choice in polyter ritorial birds, such as pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, is a par ticularly contentious example. Dale & Slagsvold (1994, Anim. Behav., 4 8, 1207-1217) developed a quantitative model of discrimination of male quality (mating status) based on repeated sampling of territories by searching females. The model emphasizes the trade-off between correctl y rejecting already mated males and incorrectly rejecting unmated male s. In the present study, their model was incorporated into the framewo rk of signal detection theory and the relationship between search cost s, search tactics and the resulting rates of discrimination errors was examined. Over a range of reasonable assumptions about probabilities and payoffs, the scenario suggested by Dale & Slagsvold implies that f emale pied flycatchers should inspect each territory only a few times and accept only males that are present at every inspection. Consequent ly, male mating status should be moderately discriminable. The quantit ative tools offered by signal detection theory are consistent with the conceptualization of deceit established by Dawkins & Krebs (1978, Beh avioural Ecology: An Evolutionary Approach) and with the recent evolut ionarily stable strategy (ESS) analyses of signalling developed by Joh nstone & Grafen (1992, Proc. R. Sec. Lend. Ser. B, 248, 229-233). (C) 1996 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour