This is what researchers from the max planck institute for ornithology in the upper bavarian lake meadows report in the specialist journal "science". The animals are able to maintain high performance despite extremely reduced sleep during a three-week mating period, he says. They were active practically 95 percent of the time. This is remarkable, as the birds have just arrived in their breeding grounds in alaska from their long migration from their overwintering grounds in the southern hemisphere, write the researchers led by ornithologist and institute director bart kempenaers.
By forgoing sleep, the males increased their chances of encountering receptive females – and at the same time were better able to defend their territory. "Males must constantly fend off competitors by defending their territory and engaging in duels, while at the same time convincing females with extensive courtship behavior," said study leader kempenaers. Since the sun never completely sets in the arctic summer, the males that stayed awake around the clock were at an advantage. The male stranders who slept the least were therefore able to sire the most offspring. However, male stranders don’t care about their brood either.
The researchers monitored the animals with the help of GPS and transmitters that they stuck on their backs. The scientists determined the paternity of the offspring from DNA samples of all males, females and juveniles in the study area.
