According to the researchers, “shy” birds suffer from this more often.
Scientists observed wandering albatrosses, which are considered a model monogamy among birds, and were able to find out what their “divorces” depend on. According to researchers, such events often depend on the “boldness” of the male, reports Phys.org.
It turned out that the bolder and more aggressive the male is, the more likely the pair will stay together. If the male is “shy”, the probability of “divorce” increases.
Read also: Climate change forces albatrosses to “divorce” more often – scientists
Scientists say their study is the first to link personality and divorce in wild animals.
“We thought bold males, being more aggressive, would be more likely to divorce because they would take the risk of changing partners to improve future reproductive outcomes. Instead, we find more shy divorces because they are more likely to be forced into divorce by more competitive “imposters.” We believe that personality can affect the divorce rate in many species, but in different ways,” said the lead author of the study, Stephanie Genuvrier.
In the course of the study, scientists studied a population of wandering albatrosses that regularly return to islands in the southern part of the Indian Ocean for breeding. This population was the focus of a long-term study dating back to the 1950s, in which researchers observed the birds each breeding season and recorded pairs and breakups over the years.
There are more males than females in the population. In an earlier study, scientists discovered an interesting pattern: albatross pairs that broke up were more likely to do so again and again. After that, the researchers decided to find out what is the cause of divorce.
In humans, the reason for this phenomenon is the personality of the partners, so the scientists assumed that the same thing could happen with albatrosses. In the course of previous studies, other groups of scientists have already determined the personal qualities of these birds.
The courage of the albatross was determined by its reaction to the approach of a person closer than five meters to the nest. Depending on their behavior, the birds received points: if the albatross did not react at all, it was given a score of 0, and if it raised its head and even stood up, it received a score of five.
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In a new study, scientists compared demographic and personality data, to find out if there is any dependency between them. They found out that there was no connection between personality and divorce in females. But for males, the connection was obvious: a more shy male had a higher chance of divorce.
