Firth, JA;Cole, EF;Ioannou, CC;Quinn, JL;Aplin, LM;Culina, A;McMahon, K;Sheldon, BC

2018

November

Nature Ecology & Evolution

Personality shapes pair bonding in a wild bird social system

Validated

Altmetric: 186 ()

CONSISTENT INDIVIDUAL-DIFFERENCES TITS PARUS-MAJOR MALE GREAT TITS FITNESS CONSEQUENCES EXPLORATORY-BEHAVIOR EVOLUTION MONOGAMY POPULATION HERITABILITY TEMPERAMENT

2

1696

1699

Mated pair bonds are integral to many animal societies, yet how individual variation in behaviour influences their formation remains largely unknown. In a population of wild great tits (Parus major), we show that personality shapes pair bonding: proactive males formed stronger pre-breeding pair bonds by meeting their future partners sooner and increasing their relationship strength at a faster rate. As a result, proactive males sampled fewer potential mates. Thus, personality may have important implications for social relationship dynamics and emergent social structure.

LONDON

2397-334X

10.1038/s41559-018-0670-8