Determinants of social proximity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica): male behavior

Abstract

Following opportunity to copulate with a female housed in an adjacent compartment, male Japanese quail spent 64% of their time near a window that provided visual access to the female (Experiment 1). This social proximity behavior persisted for at least 2 weeks of continual exposure to the window despite lack of further physical access to the female (Experiment 2) and was evident at all daylight hours (Experiment 3). Female Japanese quail stimulated more proximity behavior in male conspecifics than did other male Japanese quail or birds of other species (Experiments 4 and 5). However, many characteristics of the female quail were not critical. The female quail did not have to be previous sexual partners, familiar, sexually experienced, or reproductively competent to stimulate proximity behavior in males (Experiments 4 and 5). Experiment 6 demonstrated that the social proximity behavior was primarily a response to the visual aspects of the females. The results are discussed in relation to mate-guarding and surveillance behavior, and implications of the data for sexual classical conditioning of male Japanese quail are noted.