Question

Suppose that a group of male pied flycatchers migrated from a region where there were no collared flycatchers to a region where both species were present (see Figure 24.15 in your textbook). Assuming events like this are very rare, which of the following scenarios is least likely?

a. Migrant males would mate with collared females more often than with pied females.
b. The frequency of hybrid offspring would decrease.
c. The frequency of hybrid offspring would increase.
d. Pied females would rarely mate with collared males.
e. Migrant pied males would produce fewer offspring than would resident pied males.

Answer 1

In the scenario of male pied flycatchers migrating to a region with collared flycatchers, it is least likely that the frequency of hybrid offspring would increase.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the scenario where a group of male pied flycatchers migrates to a region where collared flycatchers are present, it is least likely that the frequency of hybrid offspring would increase (option c).

This is because hybrid offspring are typically less common in regions where two closely related species coexist. This is because natural selection tends to favor individuals that are better adapted to their specific environment, and hybrid offspring may not possess the ideal combination of traits to thrive in either species' habitat.

Additionally, mating preferences and behaviors of the select species can further decrease the likelihood of hybrid offspring. In this scenario, both pied females (option d) and collared females (option a) may have mating preferences that result in less frequent mating with males of the other species.