How zebra finches find fittest mate

摘要

Female zebra finches know just how to find their ideal mate, as long as they've heard male birdsong before. And it seems oestrogen fine-tunes their ability to pick the male singing the hardest songs - a sign he's the fittest mate.rnZebra finches mate for life, so choosing the fittest partner is vital. Researchers know that females make their partner choice based on two factors: their early experience of male birdsong and the type of song belted out over the treetops. Until now, though, no one had looked at whether oestrogen levels influence their choice of mate, and exactly howrntheir knowledge of birdsong affected the tunes they preferred.