Comparison of Blue Manakin displays and solo duration on copulation success

In birds, ornaments and displays can direct sexual choice by indicating individual quality. In lek polygyny in which displays are cooperative, males of different hierarchical status gather in the same arena for exhibitions. An example includes the blue manakin (Chiroxiphia caudata), a remarkable species for its flight displays. Here we tested whether there are differences between arenas and between dominant and subordinate individuals in relation to motor displays parameters (male approximation to females, height and duration of vertical flight and flight speed). We also tested whether there is a relationship between copulation occurrence and the duration of solo display, which is performed by a dominant male, usually after the cooperative display. In 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 reproductive seasons, we marked and filmed blue manakin in Mananciais da Serra, Piraquara-PR. We recorded copulation occurrence to register the reproductive success of each male. We found differences between arenas for all parameters (X2approximation=59.96, X2height=51.29, X2speed=46.73, p<0.05 for all), except for vertical flight duration (X2duration=0.88, p=0.83). There was a difference between dominant and subordinate males in the duration of vertical flight (X2duration=5.01, p=0.02). There was no relationship between copulation success and solo duration (X2solo=2.47, p=0.12). Our results showed differences in individual level and among male arenas in display traits. Even though solo duration was not important for reproductive success, we suggest that variations in cooperative display parameters can be important signals to female choice, as well as for hierarchy establishment among males within an arena.