Aggressiveness, incidence of singing, and territory quality of male blue grouse

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Abstract
The relative aggressiveness and proportion of time spent singing (incidence of singing) were assessed for male blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) occupying high- and low-quality territorial sites. Playback experiments were used to assess the relative aggressiveness of males; no support was obtained for the hypothesis that males on high-quality sites are more aggressive than those on low-quality sites. Prior experience with an area may be more important than aggressiveness in determining the quality of territorial site that is obtained. In 1 of 2 years, males on high-quality sites were observed hooting (singing) a greater proportion of the time than were males on poorer sites. A greater incidence of hooting by males on high-quality sites may be one factor that results in more females being observed near these males than near males on less suitable areas, as was found in a previous study.