Individual differences in sexual display behaviour in the male Japanese quail

In repeated tests we investigated the intra-individual stability and interindividual differences of courtship behaviour for 23 Japanese male quail, Coturnix c. japonica. A moving taxidermically prepared female model, and then a living female quail, were used as stimuli. Eight display units were recorded: side-display, tiptoe-walking, body-shaking, nest-invitation ceremony, shoulder-feathers-smoothing, up-down head movement, curtsey and flattening. During visual contact with the. lure or direct encounter with a female, intra-individual stability of male courtship behaviour was noticed throughout the tests. Inter-individual differences were also observed at two levels: quantitative and qualitative. Depending on the individual, males were more or less active and/or expressed different behavioural units during courtship. Some males did not react to the lure but were clearly stimulated by the living female, whereas other ones displayed with both of the stimuli. Using correspondence analyses, several profiles of behaviour were shown and discussed in terms of personality traits.