When Researchers Experimentally Altered Tail Lengths of Male Widow Birds

question 29

Essay

When researchers experimentally altered tail lengths of male widow birds (Euplectes progne), they found that females chose males with longer tails even when tail length did not correlate with any tangible benefit to a male's ability to defend territory. What are two possible reasons that females prefer longer tails?

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Definitions:

Price Elasticity

A measure of how much the quantity demanded of a good responds to a change in the price of that good, expressed as a percentage change.

Excise Tax

A tax levied on specific goods or commodities sold within a country, such as alcohol and cigarettes.

Price Elasticity

A parameter for gauging the response of demand to price variations of a product.

Excise Tax

A tax levied on the sale or consumption of specific goods or services, such as alcohol, tobacco, and gasoline.