Examples for explaining bird’s sexual selection by Demand-raising-beauty Theory (2 Viewers)

[morninglight]

In my earlier thread:
http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=268403
with the title I found that bird's colorful plumages reflect their needs for foods and enviroments. I introduce my discovery in sexual selection and provide many examples to support the theory. But, those examples are mixed with too much arguments. Followig fugl’s suggestion, I provide a list here including those examples and some example I found later.

 

[morninglight]

Before providing the examples, I simlely introduce the background of researches of sexual selection.
Darwin advanced sexual selection to explain the colorful appearance of male birds in terms of the taste of female choice according their beauty preferences(10). Wallace objected strongly, saying that this is adding an additional principle of beauty selection on top of natural selection, without explaining how female taste for beauty comes from （11, 12）. Wallace used camouflage and signaling to explain colorful plumage in birds, used good sense to explain female sexual selection (selecting good characteristics in males), while denying the selection of male appearance by the taste for beauty of the female birds (13, Chapter 7). Later, Fisher advanced a theory in sexual selection (14) called arm-race theory to reconcile the contradiction between Darwin and Wallace.
Wallace explained the plumage of female birds and dancing in many bird species better, while Fisher explained the big tails in some bird species better. There are also other theories (15) each with some advantages. However, many cases (e.g. the ocelli in the plumage of Peacocks, the yellow tail of Mandarin Ducks, the special patterns in the faces of Baikal Teals, Macaws, and King Vultures) are difficult to be explained by current theories.
We wish to advance Demand-raising-beauty theory (8) to explain the particular patterns, not only in peacock but also in many other species. Firstly, Bird’s demand for food or environment raised their tastes for beauty so that they could survive better, later the female taste selected the male appearances. For example, humming birds’ demand for flowers raised their taste for beauty on flowers, later, the female selected the male appearances so that male humming birds display flower patterns on necks or heads. These traits may pass to their sons, or also to daughters.

References:
8. C. Lu, Trying to resolve the problem left by Darwin about fragrance ,sweetness and beauty, Information from Nature, in Chinese, 2, 25-27 (1987)
10. C. Darwin, The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex, London: John Murray (1871).
11. A. R. Wallace , Review of Darwin’s Descent of Man, The Academy 2, 177-183 (1871).
12. A. R. Wallace, Notes on natural selection, Natural Science 1, 749-740 (1892)
13. H. Cronin, The Ant and the Peacock, Cambridge University Press (1991).
14. R. A. Fisher, The evolution of sexual preference, Eugenics, Review, October; 7(3): 184–192 (1915).

 

[morninglight]

To follow the copyright law, I only use photos permitted by authors or copyright owners, free images, or links. For most birds, I will not provide their photos. you can find their photos by Google.

 

[morninglight]

Birds mimic insects

The wilson bird of paradise mimics beatles.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=326538

The red bird of paradise mimic fly or dragon fly.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=326541

The bee eater mimics the yellow fine hair of bees.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=410908

The Temminck's tragopan's head mimics a grasshopper.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=8516

The sunbittern mimics butterfly and moth.
This is my recent discouvery.
The following photo is permitted by the author Tomas Grim. Thanks to Tomas Grim for his kind permission. His home page is http://www.zoologie.upol.cz/osoby/grim.htm

 

[morninglight]

Does the sunbittern really like eating butterflies or moths?

Searching "sunbittern butterfly" by Google, you can find at least this photo
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/233694668137253219/
and this video:
http://ibc.lynxeds.com/video/sunbittern-eurypyga-helias/bird-hunting-swallowing-butterfly
Yes, it really likes!

 

[Mono]

“That which can be asserted without evidence, can be dismissed without evidence.” – Christopher Hitchens.

 

[Jacana]

Ok, no doubt much of this has been covered in the other thread but I don't have the time to read through everything.

Your theories aren't new. There are many many examples in nature of animals and plants using sensory bias to influence the behaviour of either members of their own species or other species. In several cases this involves tricking other individuals that food is near. Such as these egg spots on the anal fin of this Cichlid species: http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/custom/images/large/4ea906123feba.jpg

But you are taking it a bit too far. For instance, Butterflies and moths make up a very small percentage of a Sunbittern's diet. Frogs make up a larger proportion, so why doesn't it look like a frog?

 

[Keith Dickinson]

By posting in this thread you are giving the OP what they want... better to not post and let the thread die. You will never convince the OP that they are talking claptrap so why waste bandwidth.

 

[fugl]

But you are taking it a bit too far. For instance, Butterflies and moths make up a very small percentage of a Sunbittern's diet. Frogs make up a larger proportion, so why doesn't it look like a frog?

Maybe it's because Sunbitterns regard moths and butterflies as a special treat while frogs are just subsistence fare?

 

[morninglight]

About scientific method

I believe Popper's theory. Good scientifc propositions are also hypotheses.
I cannot provide evidence for each bird. It is also not neccessary.
Most important thing is if the hypothesis can withstand tests, and if it expains sexual selection better than other theories.
For example, wan can test the theory by if the king eider like to eat snails, and if the sunbittern like to eat butterflies.

 

[morninglight]

Birds mimic fruits

The Peacock mimics a berry tree because it likes eating berries.
The Peacock-pheasant also mimic a berry tree.
The Beautiful Fruit Dove displays a red fruit on head.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=463117

The Sandhill Crane displays a craneberry pattern on its head because it likes eating craneberries.
The Purple Breasted Cotinga mimics a fruit.
The Toucan likes eat big fruits like figs, papaya and the like. It's yellow pattern is to mimic a fruit.
The Great Hornbill mimic banana and fig.
Many birds display colors similar to the colors of fruits they like to eat.

 

[morninglight]

I first list names of birds with explanations. Forgive me to answer your questions later.

 

[morninglight]

Birds mimic grans

The Montezuma Quail displays grains because it like eating grains.
The Zebra Finch also displays grains.
The pheasant mimics pinecone.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=428604

The Chrysolophus has a long tail that mimics grain ears.
The House Cock also displays grain ears.
Following photos are free images (anonymity).

 

[morninglight]

Birds mimic flowers

Many humming birds display flower patterns on necks because they like flowers for pollen and nectar.
The Tufted Coquette Darwin mentioned has flower pattern on its top of head.
The Twelve wired bird of paradise mimics flower bud because it feeds on flower bud, nectar and insects arround flowers.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=463295
The Great bowerbird seemly mimics KIMBERLEY BAUHINIA of Jigal tree because it nees this flower.
Sunbirds are similar to humming birds. They display colorful patterns.
Most Parrots eat flowers and leaves, so, thay display colorful patterns.
The Rainbow Lorikeet is a moset colorful parrot because it feeds on fruits, pollen and nectar.

 

[morninglight]

The great woodpecker displays tunnle pattern because it often seeks insects or larvae in tunnle under bark.
The Jynx Torquilla displays tunnle pattern that seemly mimic ant tunnle.
http://www.nashvillezoo.org/piciformes/picidae.htm
The Ant Bear also displays that kind of patten. This cannot be coincidental.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Myresluger2.jpg

 

[morninglight]

Scientists have similar conclusion on the Guppy

I eventually found the information again that scientists have similar conclusion on the Guppy. I am too impatient to wait to tell you:

Science 8 March 2002:
Guppy Sex and Gluttony Guided by Orange Glow
Summary
Why females of various species prefer males with particular traits has proved difficult to pin down. Now, behavioral ecologists report in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Series B, that for guppies, which prefer males with orange spots, the attraction derives from a simple gut response: Orange looks like food.

Rodd, F.H., K.A. Hughes, G. Grether, C.T. Baril. 2002. A possible non-sexual origin of a mate preference: are male guppies mimicking fruit? Proc. R. Soc. B. 269:475-481.

Prof. Rodd's page:
http://labs.eeb.utoronto.ca/rodd/pubs.html

 

[morninglight]

Birds mimic aquatic animals as food

The Mandarine duck displays the clam with stretching flesh.
The Wood duck display shells on wings and snail on head.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=8512#pic_block

 

[morninglight]

The King eider displays snail-like head and snow-island-like pattern.
About King eider's habits and if King Eiders like eating snails, see this page:
http://www2.dmu.dk/1_Om_DMU/2_Afdelinger/3_AM/4_Expertise/5_Research/6_satellite_tracking/eiders/king_eider_en_biology.asp
About arctic snails：
http://www.arcodiv.org/seabottom/Gastropods.html

 

[morninglight]

The Anas falcata also has a snail-like head. It also displays water wave.

The Muscovy duck has frog-like pattern on the face.
http://blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=space&uid=2056&do=album&picid=423238
This pattern is getting fuzzy on the faces of homebred Muscovy ducks perhaps because their food resource has changed.

The black-throated diver is the best fish catcher and hence displays a fish on its head and neck.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Black-throated_Loon

 

[morninglight]

The Rockhopper Penguin feeds on krills. It displays krill's hair on head and krill's tail on beak.
Puffin displays whelk-like pattern on its face and surf-clam-like pattern on its beak.
--I am not very sure this. But I am very sure the following guess:
The Tufted puffin has different food resource, It displays a prawn on its head. This is my most favorite discovery recently. I do believe that Tufted puffin likes eating prawns because its upper beak resembles a prawn's round body very muck; yet its lower beak resembles a prawn's tail.
The following photo is a photo of royalty free from: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tufted_puffins_(9192590883).jpg
Its Author:U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Headquarters