Dunnock relatively lower success for females. In times of scarcity, female territories expand to accommodate the lack of resources, causing males to have a more difficult time monopolizing females. Hence, females gain a reproductive advantage over males in this case. The dunnock possesses variable mating systems. Females are often polyandrous, breeding with two or more males at once, which is quite rare among birds. This multiple mating system leads to the development of sperm competition amongst the male suitors. DNA fingerprinting has shown that chicks within a brood often have different fathers, depending on the success of the males at monopolising
Common smoky honeyeater Common smoky honeyeater The common smoky honeyeater ("Melipotes fumigatus") is a species of bird in the honeyeater family Meliphagidae. It is one of four species in the genus "Melipotes", all closely related and forming a superspecies. After another similar species, the wattled smoky honeyeater, was discovered in 2005 in the Foja Mountains it has also been called the common smoky honeyeater. The species is endemic to the island of New Guinea, where it occurs in the Central Ranges across the length of the island as well as two isolated populations on north west and north of the island. There are