Territoriality

There are many temperate-tropical differences in territorial behavior, though this has been studied mostly in passerines. Tropical species have a broad variety of territorial systems with respect to territory size, type of resource defended, and seasonality in territory defense. Temperate species are characterized by a short breeding season with intense territorial aggression, mostly by males, which is supported by high testosterone levels. Tropical species that defense year-round territories have far lower levels of territorial aggression and low testosterone, and females often participate in territory defense and sing. Year-round territory defense and high adult survival in the tropics mean that juveniles face challenges getting their first territory, but relatively little is known about the strategies they use (e.g., floating, queuing, and eviction). Perhaps the biggest gap in our knowledge of territoriality in tropical birds is understanding what territory characteristics comprise a high-quality territory, and how high-quality territories affect individual fitness.