Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences
Most Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) form lifelong pair bonds (same-mate geese), but some pairs break apart and the geese mate with new partners while their former mates are still alive (divorcees). Over 25 years, we assessed lifelong reproduction of 160 collared Canada Geese that nested for multip...
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ftjcfn:oai:canadianfieldnaturalist.ca:article/1966 2023-05-15T15:46:15+02:00 Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences Conover, Michael R. Dinkins, Jonathan B. 2019-04-11 application/pdf https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1966 https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i3.1966 eng eng The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1966/2079 https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1966 doi:10.22621/cfn.v132i3.1966 Copyright (c) 2019 The Canadian Field-Naturalist The Canadian Field-Naturalist; Vol. 132 No. 3 (2018); 211-218 0008-3550 Canada Geese lifelong reproduction mate fidelity mate selection monogamy pair bonds info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion 2019 ftjcfn https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i3.1966 2021-09-02T18:54:47Z Most Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) form lifelong pair bonds (same-mate geese), but some pairs break apart and the geese mate with new partners while their former mates are still alive (divorcees). Over 25 years, we assessed lifelong reproduction of 160 collared Canada Geese that nested for multiple years in New Haven County, Connecticut. We examined whether same-mate geese and divorcee geese differed from each other prior to or after the divorce. Fifteen percent of females and 18% of males divorced during their lifetimes. Divorces were more frequent in pairs that produced fewer hatchlings during their prior nesting year. Most divorcees that nested again did so on their former nesting territories. Replacement partners of divorcees averaged younger and had fewer years of nesting experience than the divorcees’ prior mate. Usually after a divorce, one divorcee of each former pair nested immediately while the other skipped one or more years before nesting again. Under such circumstances, the partner able to nest immediately can increase its direct fitness by finding a new partner and nesting rather than foregoing the opportunity to nest that year. During their first nesting year after the divorce, the reproductive success of divorcees and same-mate geese were similar. Article in Journal/Newspaper Branta canadensis The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal) Canada The Canadian Field-Naturalist 132 3 211 218 |
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Open Polar |
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The Canadian Field-Naturalist (E-Journal) |
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ftjcfn |
language |
English |
topic |
Canada Geese lifelong reproduction mate fidelity mate selection monogamy pair bonds |
spellingShingle |
Canada Geese lifelong reproduction mate fidelity mate selection monogamy pair bonds Conover, Michael R. Dinkins, Jonathan B. Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
topic_facet |
Canada Geese lifelong reproduction mate fidelity mate selection monogamy pair bonds |
description |
Most Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) form lifelong pair bonds (same-mate geese), but some pairs break apart and the geese mate with new partners while their former mates are still alive (divorcees). Over 25 years, we assessed lifelong reproduction of 160 collared Canada Geese that nested for multiple years in New Haven County, Connecticut. We examined whether same-mate geese and divorcee geese differed from each other prior to or after the divorce. Fifteen percent of females and 18% of males divorced during their lifetimes. Divorces were more frequent in pairs that produced fewer hatchlings during their prior nesting year. Most divorcees that nested again did so on their former nesting territories. Replacement partners of divorcees averaged younger and had fewer years of nesting experience than the divorcees’ prior mate. Usually after a divorce, one divorcee of each former pair nested immediately while the other skipped one or more years before nesting again. Under such circumstances, the partner able to nest immediately can increase its direct fitness by finding a new partner and nesting rather than foregoing the opportunity to nest that year. During their first nesting year after the divorce, the reproductive success of divorcees and same-mate geese were similar. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Conover, Michael R. Dinkins, Jonathan B. |
author_facet |
Conover, Michael R. Dinkins, Jonathan B. |
author_sort |
Conover, Michael R. |
title |
Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
title_short |
Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
title_full |
Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
title_fullStr |
Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
title_full_unstemmed |
Divorce in Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
title_sort |
divorce in canada geese (branta canadensis): frequency, causes, and consequences |
publisher |
The Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club |
publishDate |
2019 |
url |
https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1966 https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i3.1966 |
geographic |
Canada |
geographic_facet |
Canada |
genre |
Branta canadensis |
genre_facet |
Branta canadensis |
op_source |
The Canadian Field-Naturalist; Vol. 132 No. 3 (2018); 211-218 0008-3550 |
op_relation |
https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1966/2079 https://www.canadianfieldnaturalist.ca/index.php/cfn/article/view/1966 doi:10.22621/cfn.v132i3.1966 |
op_rights |
Copyright (c) 2019 The Canadian Field-Naturalist |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.22621/cfn.v132i3.1966 |
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The Canadian Field-Naturalist |
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132 |
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3 |
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211 |
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218 |
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