1. Introduction
1.1. What is Sexual Selection?
1.2. A Brief History of Sexual Selection
1.3. Why is Sexual Selection Interesting?
1.4. The Role of Sexual Selection in Animal Life
1.5. Evolution Versus Maintenance of Sexual Displays
1.6. Outline of the Book
1.7. Summary
2. Models of Sexual Selection and Monogamy
2.1. Introduction
2.2. The Two Modes of Sexual Selection
2.3. Models of Male-Male Competition
2.4. Models of Mate Preferences
2.5. Sexual Selection and Monogamy
2.6. Summary
3. The Study Organism
3.1. Introduction
3.2. Morphology of the Barn Swallow
3.3. Natural History of the Barn Swallow
3.4. Sexual Behavior of Barn Swallows
3.5. Constraints on Evolution of Secondary Sexual Characters
3.6. Study Methods
3.7. Summary
4. Male Mating Advantages
4.1. Introduction
4.2. Components of Sexual Selection
4.3. Evaluation of Sexual Selection Components
4.4. Relative Importance of Mating Advantages
4.5. Summary
5. Benefits of Mate Choice
5.1. Introduction
5.2. Theory of Mate Preferences
5.3. Female Mate Preferences in the Barn Swallow
5.4. Benefits of Mate Choice
5.5. How Can Heritability of Fitness be Maintained?
5.6. Summary
6. Determinants of Tail Ornament Size
6.1. Introduction
6.2. Components of Morphological Variation
6.3. Ornaments as Indicators of Condition
6.4. Determinants of Feather Growth
6.5. Why are Ornaments Not Larger?
6.6. Summary
7. Advantages of Early Arrival
7.1. Introduction
7.2. Models of Optimal Arrival
7.3. Costs and Benefits of Early Arrival
7.4. Annual Variation in Arrival Time
7.5. Individual Quality and Early Arrival
7.6. Aerodynamics and Early Arrival
7.7. Summary
8. Options for Unmated Males
8.1. Introduction
8.2. The Sex Ratio
8.3. Characteristics of Unmated Males
8.4. Survival Prospects of Unmated Males
8.5. Extra-Pair Copulations
8.6. Infanticide Behavior
8.7. Summary
9. Parasites and Sexual Selection
9.1. Introduction
9.2. Models of Parasite-Mediated Sexual Selection
9.3. Description of Barn Swallow Parasites
9.4. Parasites and Parental Care
9.5. Avoidance of Contagious Parasites
9.6. Indirect Benefits of Choice of Parasite-Free Mates
9.7. Summary
10. Paternal Care and Male Ornamentation
10.1. Introduction
10.2. Models of Sexual Selection and Parental Care
10.3. Kinds of Male Parental Care
10.4. Patterns of Parental Care and Male Ornamentation
10.5. Differential Parental Effort
10.6. Summary
11. Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection
11.1. Introduction
11.2. Sperm Competition and Sexual Selection
11.3. Extra-Pair Copulation Behavior
11.4. Patterns of Extra-Pair Copulations
11.5. Extra-Pair Copulations and Extra-Pair Paternity
11.6. Paternity Guards
11.7. Costs and Benefits of Extra-Pair Copulations
11.8. Summary
12. Sexual Size Dimorphism and Female Ornaments
12.1. Introduction
12.2. Evolution of Sexual Dimorphism
12.3. Sexual Size Dimorphism in Barn Swallows
12.4. Female Ornaments as Signals of Female Quality
12.5. Female Ornaments and Reproduction
12.6. Summary
13. Geographic Variation in Ornament Size
13.1. Introduction
13.2. Clinal Variation in Ornaments
13.3. Geographic Variation in Barn Swallow Morphology
13.4. Geographic Variation in Costs and Benefits of Ornaments
13.5. Barn Swallow Subspecies
13.6. Summary
14. Synthesis
14.1. Introduction
14.2. Sexual Selection in the Life of Barn Swallows
14.3. Sexual Selection as a Continuously Reinforcing Process?
14.4. Which are the Benefits of Female Choice?
14.5. Mechanisms Versus Functions in Sexual Selection
14.6. Constraints on the Evolution of Secondary Sexual Characters
14.7. Mating Systems, Ornaments and Sexual Selection
14.8. Life-History Consequences of Sexual Selection
14.9. Summary