My research focuses on aggression in Red-winged blackbirds in relationship to female and male densities. Aggression has been noted both females and males and has been associated with sexual selection (Yasukawa and Searcy, 1982). Similar to Dr. Baldwin’s research on buttercups my research focuses on reproductive and evolutionary fitness. What I wanted to test is if male-male aggression was related to female densities. Yasukawa and Searcy (1982) research found that female-female aggression is most likely an evolved defence mechanism to ensure the male parental investment. However, if there is lower female densities does this result in lower female aggression and higher male aggression. The ideas that underpin my research were first from observation: A pattern emerged when I was collecting data—February and March no female Red-winged blackbirds were counted. While the males were active they were not displaying aggression with each other when females were not at the site. However, following the arrival of a few females the aggression between males increased including flight, calls, and attacks. Moreover, females were witnessed in close proximity without displaying aggression with each other. Three key words that could be used to describe my research is male-male aggression, territorial aggression, and nest-defence behaviour.
Yasukawa, K., and W.A Searcy. 1982. Aggression in female Red-winged blackbirds: A strategy to ensure male parental investment. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 11:13-17. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00297660.
Sounds like a good start! while the above paper is very similar to yours and a great one to cite, it could be worth finding some other references for your introduction either on red-winged blackbirds, other species in the same family, or if there are any review papers out there on this topic.