Singing behavior of lekking Green Hermits

Abstract

We examined temporal and spatial variation in singing behavior of lekking Green Hermits (Phaethornis guy). Song production by individual males was correlated to song production by their neighbors on the lek. There was significant variation among territories in the amount of time that males on these territories devoted to singing and the total number of songs produced. This variation appears to be related to territory location on the lek: males on sites near the center of the lek spent more time singing and produced more songs than did males on the periphery. Males also varied in the frequency (pitch) of songs produced, but this variation did not appear to be related to territory location.