In the vermilion flycatcher the males are brightly colored a

In the vermilion flycatcher, the males are brightly colored and sing frequently and prominently. Females are more dull-colored and make less sound. In a field study of this bird, a researcher attempted to estimate the fraction of individuals of each sex in the population. She based her estimate on the number of individuals of each sex detected while walking through suitable habit. Is her sample of birds detected likely to be a random sample? Why or why not?

Solution

No, her sample is not likely to be a random sample, and probably contains some bias.

The problem states that males are brightly colored and sing more prominently, whereas the females are dull and more quiet. She is more likely to notice the males by their color and their sound than the females, so males will be over represented in this sample.

Hope this helps! :) Let me know if you have any other questions.