@article{PAR00024514,
  title = {{M}ale song stability shows cross-year repeatability but does not affect reproductive success in a wild passerine bird},
  author = {{H}utfluss, {A}. and {B}ermudez-{C}uamatzin, {E}. and {M}ouchet, {A}lexia and {B}riffa, {M}. and {S}labbekoorn, {H}. and {D}ingemanse, {N}. {J}.},
  editor = {},
  language = {{ENG}},
  abstract = {{P}redictable behaviour (or 'behavioural stability') might be favoured in certain ecological contexts, for example when representing a quality signal. {C}osts associated with producing stable phenotypes imply selection should favour plasticity in stability when beneficial. {R}epeatable among-individual differences in degree of stability are simultaneously expected if individuals differ in ability to pay these costs, or in how they resolve cost-benefit trade-offs. {B}ird song represents a prime example, where stability may be costly yet beneficial when stable singing is a quality signal favoured by sexual selection. {A}ssuming energetic costs, ecological variation (e.g. in food availability) should result in both within- and among-individual variation in stability. {I}f song stability represents a quality signal, we expect directional selection favouring stable singers. {F}or a 3-year period, we monitored 12 nest box plots of great tits {P}arus major during breeding. {W}e recorded male songs during simulated territory intrusions, twice during their mate's laying stage and twice during incubation. {E}ach preceding winter, we manipulated food availability. {A}ssuming that stability is costly, we expected food-supplemented males to sing more stable songs. {W}e also expected males to sing more stable songs early in the breeding season (when paternity is not decided) and stable singers to have increased reproductive success. {W}e found strong support for plasticity in stability for two key song characteristics: minimum frequency and phrase length. {M}ales were plastic because they became more stable over the season, contrary to expectations. {F}ood supplementation did not affect body condition but increased stability in minimum frequency. {T}his treatment effect occurred only in 1 year, implying that food supplementation affected stability only in interaction with (unknown) year-specific ecological factors. {W}e found no support for directional, correlational or fluctuating selection on the stability in minimum frequency (i.e. the song trait whose stability exhibited cross-year repeatability): stable singers did not have higher reproductive success. {O}ur findings imply that stability in minimum frequency is not a fitness quality indicator unless males enjoy fitness benefits via pathways not studied here. {F}uture studies should thus address the mechanisms shaping and maintaining individual repeatability of song stability in the wild.},
  keywords = {animal communication ; animal personality ; behavioural stability ; bird ; song ; double hierarchical generalized linear mixed models ; natural selection ; reproductive fitness ; {ALLEMAGNE} ; {BAVIERE}},
  booktitle = {},
  journal = {{J}ournal of {A}nimal {E}cology},
  volume = {91},
  numero = {7},
  pages = {1507--1520},
  ISSN = {0021-8790},
  year = {2022},
  DOI = {10.1111/1365-2656.13736},
  URL = {https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/{PAR}00024514},
}