Facts : 1 However, a pair of animals may be socially monogamous but that does not necessarily make them sexually or genetically monogamous
Facts : 2 Social monogamy, sexual monogamy, and genetic monogamy can occur in different combinations
Facts : 3 Social monogamy refers to the overtly observed living arrangement whereby a male and female share territory and engage in behaviour indicative of a social pair, but does not imply any particular sexual fidelity or reproductive pattern
Facts : 4 The extent to which social monogamy is observed in animals varies across taxa, with over 90 percent of avian species being socially monogamous, compared to only 3 percent of mammalian species and up to 15 percent of primate species
Facts : 5 Sexual monogamy is defined as an exclusive sexual relationship between a female and a male based on observations of sexual interactions
Facts : 6 However, scientific analyses can test for paternity, for example by DNA paternity testing or by fluorescent pigment powder tracing of females to track physical contact
Facts : 7 This type of analysis can uncover reproductively successful sexual pairings or physical contact
Facts : 8 Genetic monogamy refers to DNA analyses confirming that a female-male pair reproduce exclusively with each other
Facts : 9 The incidence of sexual monogamy appears quite rare in other parts of the animal kingdom
Facts : 10 It is becoming clear that even animals that are overtly socially monogamous engage in extra-pair copulations
Facts : 11 For example, while over 90 %%% of birds are socially monogamous, on average, 30 percent or more of the baby birds in any nest [are] sired by someone other than the resident male
Facts : 12 Patricia Adair Gowaty has estimated that, out of 180 different species of socially monogamous songbirds, only 10 %%% are sexually monogamous
Facts : 13 Offspring are far more successful when both the male and the female members of the social pair contribute food resources
Facts : 14 These birds are known for remaining in monogamous relationships during the course of mating season
Facts : 15 During the course of the study, the researchers gave a few select males vasectomies just before mating season
Facts : 16 The male birds behaved like they do every season, establishing territory, finding a mate, and attempting to make baby birds
Facts : 17 Despite apparent social monogamy, the female birds whose partners were surgically altered still became pregnant, indicating that overt social monogamy
