Genetic and social monogamy - Does it occur without mate guarding in the ringed plover?

Among birds, waders (suborder Charadrii) show a remarkable variation in soc ial mating systems. Their genetic mating systems are, however, less well kn own, especially in socially monogamous species. Here, we use DNA fingerprin ting and behavioral studies to examine genetic parentage and male mate guar ding in the ringed plover Charadrius hiaticula, a monogamous wader with bip arental care. None of the putative parents was excluded as a genetic parent of the chicks attended (57 young from 21 families). Statistical resampling supported that extra-pair parentage occurs only rarely, if ever, in the ri nged plover. We found no evidence for male mate guarding by close following as a paternity assurance strategy. Lack of extra-pair paternity in the rin ged plover is therefore probably not a consequence of male mate guarding, b ut of high costs and/or low benefits from extra-pair copulations for female s.