BLACK GROUSE LEKS ON ICE - FEMALE MATE SAMPLING BY INCITATION OF MALECOMPETITION

Male-male competition is assumed to limit female choice of mates, but it may also help females to choose the most vigorous males. We studied the mate sampling behaviour of female black grouse (Tetrao tetrix) at spatially unstable leks on ice-covered lakes. In the absence of terri tories and site-dependence in outcomes of fights, the male dominance h ierarchy is very evident on ice. When being courted by dominant males, females frequently tried to approach other males. This was frequently prevented because (1) the courting male and the approached male were involved in physical fight, or (2) the dominant male followed the fema le and the approached male escaped and avoided contact with him. These behaviours express dominance relationships, and the female behaviour could be considered as incitive. Rank in dominance hierarchy was a sig nificant predictor of male mating success. In this case competition be tween males and female choice worked in parallel favouring male traits correlated with dominance.