Review
The honesty of bird song: multiple constraints for multiple traits

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Abstract

The function of bird song is closely linked to sexual selection. A fundamental question regarding the evolution of sexually selected male signals is how their honesty is maintained. The neural space required for storing a large song repertoire size has traditionally been identified as a key constraint. However, it is often forgotten that bird song is a multifaceted behaviour, and that the different characters that comprise it have specific costs. Recent research has revealed the existence of new constraints, such as social aggression or learning opportunities, which limit the expression of several song characteristics. We review the existing evidence for each of these constraints, revealing some major gaps in our knowledge of this fascinating biological system.

Bird song is a multifaceted behaviour comprising of different characteristics that have specific costs. New constraints are highlighted that limit the expression of several of these characteristics

Section snippets

Bird song: multiple sexually selected traits

Bird song encompasses multiple traits that can be sexually selected, but which are not equally important in all species. We expect that characteristics with the greatest individual variation and repeatability will be those that are most important in the context of sexual selection.

Costs and constraints: what are the currencies?

The limiting factors maintaining signal reliability can be divided into two main groups depending on whether cheating is controlled by the cost paid by the signaller, or by the behaviour of receivers [28]. Furthermore, a distinction can be made between those signals in which individuals can vary their investment, and those signals whose limit is set by physical constraints [26]. These distinctions have important theoretical implications for the evolution of signals, because theory predicts a

Conclusion

Our intention here has been to clarify the constraints that could limit the expression of bird song in the multiple ways in which it varies. It is surprising that hypotheses of the honesty of bird song still lack substantial evidence (Table 1). Bird song research has grown exponentially in the past few decades, through the effort of ethologists, behavioural ecologists and neurobiologists [1]. However, unravelling the factors that limit the expression of individual variation in song needs an

Acknowledgements

We thank Alfred Dufty, Constantino Macı́as Garcı́a, Franz Goller, Anders Møller, Marc Naguib, Katharina Riebel, Peter Slater, Rod Suthers and Sally Ward for their input and comments, and Anton Pieneman for the artwork for Fig. 1. D.G. was supported by a Marie Curie Fellowship from the EU during preparation of this review, and will be at Dept Ecologı́a Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain, from April 2002

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