Female reproductive effort depends on the degree of ornamentation of their mates

Abstract

Females of the monogamous barn swallow Hirundo rustica adjust their reproductive effort to the attractiveness of their mates. Experimental manipulation of male tail length, a trait currently subject to a directional female mating preference, affected reproductive effort by females in single broods as well as their decision on the seasonal number of clutches. Female barn swallows assess the quality of their mates throughout the reproductive season and adjust their reproductive decisions accordingly. -from Authors