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Hegyi G, Laczi M, Szabó G, Sarkadi F, Török J. Plumage color degradation indicates reproductive effort: an experiment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18770. [PMID: 37907494 PMCID: PMC10618437 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45348-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Plumage color has traditionally been regarded as a static ornamental trait, but evidence is accumulating for significant color changes without molt that typically reduce the conspicuousness of ornamentation. In some species, the social partner seems to increase its reproductive investment if the color trait is experimentally enhanced, suggesting that color change could act as a signal. However, the information content of this signal is so far unclear. For example, birds in poor condition or making greater effort may deteriorate more severely. We used brood size manipulations to alter the reproductive effort of male and female collared flycatchers Ficedula albicollis. Both sexes showed less severe decline in some reflectance attribute of their white breast when their brood was experimentally reduced. In each sex, greater deterioration of the reflectance trait affected by the manipulation was accompanied by increased feeding rate by the partner. These feeding patterns do not prove, but are consistent with, a compensatory response by the partner to induced degradation. The manipulation effects on color change we detected confirm for the first time that plumage color deterioration can indicate current reproductive effort, thereby providing a potential fitness advantage to social partners that react to such deterioration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Hegyi
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary.
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Miklós Laczi
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
- Barn Owl Foundation, Temesvári út 8, 8744, Orosztony, Hungary
| | - Gyula Szabó
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Sarkadi
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Török
- Behavioral Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
- HUN-REN-ELTE-MTM Integrative Ecology Research Group, 1117 Pázmány Péter sétány 1/C, Budapest, Hungary
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2
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Valdez DJ, Benitez-Vieyra SM. Annual molt period and seasonal color variation in the Eared Dove´s crown. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280819. [PMID: 36827341 PMCID: PMC9955656 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Molting is an important process in which old and worn feathers are exchanged for new ones. Plumage color is determined by pigments such as carotenes, melanin and by the ultrastructure of the feather. The importance of plumage coloration has been widely studied in different groups of birds, generally at a particular time of the year. However, plumage coloration is not static and few studies have addressed the change in plumage color over time and its relationship to reproductive tasks. The Eared Dove (Zenaida auriculata, Des Murs, 1847) has a melanistic coloration with sexual dichromatism in different body regions. The Eared Dove´s crown is the most exposed body region during the bowing display. Our objective was therefore to accurately determine the molting period of the crown feathers and study the seasonal variation in their coloration in females and males. Our findings indicate a molting period of 6 months (January to June). The new feathers are undergoing changes in their coloration from July to December. During that period we apply an avian vision model then enabled us to reveal a seasonal variation in the coloration of the crown feathers in both sexes, as given by a change in the chromatic distances. The highest values in the chromatic distances towards the reproductive period are given by a change in the UV-violet component of the spectrum, indicating changes in the microstructure of the feather. This change in crown coloration towards the breeding season could be linked to reproductive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego J. Valdez
- Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Centro de Zoología Aplicada, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Córdoba, Argentina
- * E-mail:
| | - Santiago M. Benitez-Vieyra
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal (IMBIV), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba–Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Córdoba, Argentina
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3
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McQueen A, Delhey K, Barzan FR, Naimo AC, Peters A. Male fairy-wrens produce and maintain vibrant breeding colors irrespective of individual quality. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Conspicuous colors may signal individual quality if high-quality individuals produce more elaborate colors or have a greater capacity to invest in color maintenance. We investigate these hypotheses using repeated within-individual observations and experimentally induced color production in a wild bird, the superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus). Male superb fairy-wrens undergo an annual molt from brown, nonbreeding plumage to an ultraviolet-blue and black breeding plumage. Color maintenance is especially relevant for this species because structural, ultraviolet-blue plumage colors are particularly susceptible to fading. Further, only the most sexually attractive males molt to breeding plumage early (before spring) and thereby keep their colors for an extended time before the breeding season. Our results show that (i) sexually attractive, early-molting males do not have higher quality breeding colors and (ii) breeding colors are not impacted by experimentally inducing males to molt early and while in low body condition. We found that (iii) breeding colors do not fade but remain consistent or become more saturated within individuals over time. Despite this, (iv) males do not spend more time preening while in breeding plumage. Instead, males keep their colors in pristine condition by re-molting parts of their breeding plumage throughout the breeding season, suggesting an alternative, potential cost of maintaining ornamental colors. We conclude that variation in structural breeding colors is unlikely to indicate individual quality in superb fairy-wrens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra McQueen
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood Highway, Burwood, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kaspar Delhey
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Flavia R Barzan
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- Departamento de Recursos Naturales y Gestión Ambiental, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Paraná, Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA) and CONICET, Oro Verde, Entre Ríos, Argentina
| | - Annalise C Naimo
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Anne Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Wellington Road, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
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4
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McCullough EL, Chou CC, Backwell PRY. Cost of an elaborate trait: a trade-off between attracting females and maintaining a clean ornament. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many sexually selected ornaments and weapons are elaborations of an animal’s outer body surface, including long feathers, colorful skin, and rigid outgrowths. The time and energy required to keep these traits clean, attractive, and in good condition for signaling may represent an important but understudied cost of bearing a sexually selected trait. Male fiddler crabs possess an enlarged and brightly colored claw that is used both as a weapon to fight with rival males and also as an ornament to court females. Here, we demonstrate that males benefit from grooming because females prefer males with clean claws over dirty claws but also that the time spent grooming detracts from the amount of time available for courting females. Males, therefore, face a temporal trade-off between attracting the attention of females and maintaining a clean claw. Our study provides rare evidence of the importance of grooming for mediating sexual interactions in an invertebrate, indicating that sexual selection has likely shaped the evolution of self-maintenance behaviors across a broad range of taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L McCullough
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Chun-Chia Chou
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Patricia R Y Backwell
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivans Creek Road, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia
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5
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Oswald KN, Smit B, Lee AT, Cunningham SJ. Behaviour of an alpine range-restricted species is described by interactions between microsite use and temperature. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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McQueen A, Kempenaers B, Dale J, Valcu M, Emery ZT, Dey CJ, Peters A, Delhey K. Evolutionary drivers of seasonal plumage colours: colour change by moult correlates with sexual selection, predation risk and seasonality across passerines. Ecol Lett 2019; 22:1838-1849. [PMID: 31441210 DOI: 10.1111/ele.13375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Some birds undergo seasonal colour change by moulting twice each year, typically alternating between a cryptic, non-breeding plumage and a conspicuous, breeding plumage ('seasonal plumage colours'). We test for potential drivers of the evolution of seasonal plumage colours in all passerines (N = 5901 species, c. 60% of all birds). Seasonal plumage colours are uncommon, having appeared on multiple occasions but more frequently lost during evolution. The trait is more common in small, ground-foraging species with polygynous mating systems, no paternal care and strong sexual dichromatism, suggesting it evolved under strong sexual selection and high predation risk. Seasonal plumage colours are also more common in species predicted to have seasonal breeding schedules, such as migratory birds and those living in seasonal climates. We propose that seasonal plumage colours have evolved to resolve a trade-off between the effects of natural and sexual selection on colouration, especially in seasonal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra McQueen
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, VIC, Clayton Campus, 3800, Australia
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - James Dale
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences, Massey University, Auckland, 0745, New Zealand
| | - Mihai Valcu
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard Gwinner Str, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Zachary T Emery
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, VIC, Clayton Campus, 3800, Australia
| | - Cody J Dey
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, Canada
| | - Anne Peters
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, VIC, Clayton Campus, 3800, Australia
| | - Kaspar Delhey
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, VIC, Clayton Campus, 3800, Australia
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7
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James C, Asher L, Herborn K, Wiseman J. The effect of supplementary ultraviolet wavelengths on broiler chicken welfare indicators. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018; 209:55-64. [PMID: 30510331 PMCID: PMC6222521 DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 09/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 10/29/2022]
Abstract
Qualities of the light environment are important for good welfare in a number of species. In chickens, UVA light is visible and may facilitate flock interactions. UVB wavelengths promote endogenous vitamin D synthesis, which could support the rapid skeletal development of broiler chickens. The aim of the study was to investigate the impacts of Ultraviolet wavelengths (UV) on welfare indicators in broiler chickens. Day-old Ross 308 birds reared under commercially representative conditions were randomly assigned to one of three lighting treatments: A) White Light Emitting Diode (LED) and supplementary UVA LED lighting (18-hour photoperiod); B) White LED with supplementary UVA and UVB fluorescent lighting providing 30 micro watts/cm2 UVB at bird level (on for 8 h of the total photoperiod to avoid over-exposure of UVB); C) White LED control group, representative of farm conditions (18-hour photoperiod). Welfare indicators measured were; feather condition (day 24, n = 546), tonic immobility duration (day 29, n = 302), and gait quality, using the Bristol Gait Score (day 31, n = 293). Feather condition was improved in male broilers in the UVA treatment (A), compared to the control treatment (C). Birds in the UVA treatment had shorter tonic immobility durations compared to the control treatment (C), suggesting lower fearfulness. Broilers reared in UVA (A) and UVA + UVB (B) had better Bristol Gait Scores compared to the control (C). Together these results suggest UV may be beneficial for broiler chicken welfare. While treatment A and B both provided UVA, the improvements in welfare indicators were not consistent, which may be due to exposure time-dependent beneficial effects of UVA. The modification of commercial lighting regimes to incorporate UVA wavelengths for indoor-reared broiler chickens would be an achievable change with significant positive impacts on bird welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte James
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
| | - Lucy Asher
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution IoN, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Newcastle, UK
| | - Katherine Herborn
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution IoN, Newcastle University, Henry Wellcome Building, Newcastle, UK
| | - Julian Wiseman
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Leicestershire, UK
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8
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Zolnierowicz KM, Nyklova-Ondrova M, Tobolka M. Sex Differences in Preening Behaviour in the White StorkCiconia ciconia. POLISH JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.3161/15052249pje2016.64.3.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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9
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Moreno-Rueda G. Uropygial gland and bib colouration in the house sparrow. PeerJ 2016; 4:e2102. [PMID: 27280079 PMCID: PMC4893339 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.2102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds frequently signal different qualities by plumage colouration, mainly during mating. However, plumage colouration is determined during the moult, and therefore it would indicate the quality of individual birds during the moult, not its current quality. Recent studies, however, suggest that birds could modify plumage colouration by using cosmetic preen oil produced by the uropygial gland. In this study, I show that bib colouration is related to uropygial gland size and body condition in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Moreover, I conducted an experiment in which a group of sparrows were inoculated with an antigen, mimicking an illness. In control birds, short-term changes in bib colouration were related to both body condition and change in uropygial gland size. Therefore, birds that reduced uropygial gland size showed a greater colouration change. However, bib colouration did not change with the change in uropygial gland size in experimental birds inoculated with the antigen. Given that the experiment did not affect preen oil production or consumption, this finding tentatively suggests that the immune challenge provoked a change in the composition of preen oil, affecting its cosmetic properties. In short, the results of this study suggest that (1) male house sparrows produce cosmetic preen oil that alters the colouration of their bibs; (2) the more change in uropygial gland size, the more change in bib colouration; and (3) in this way, bib colouration has the potential to signal current health status, since less healthy birds showed less capacity to change bib colouration.
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10
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Mahr K, Evans C, Thonhauser KE, Griggio M, Hoi H. Multiple Ornaments—Multiple Signaling Functions? The Importance of Song and UV Plumage Coloration in Female Superb Fairy-wrens (Malurus cyaneus). Front Ecol Evol 2016. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2016.00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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11
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Delhey K. The colour of an avifauna: A quantitative analysis of the colour of Australian birds. Sci Rep 2015; 5:18514. [PMID: 26679370 PMCID: PMC4683462 DOI: 10.1038/srep18514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal coloration is a poorly-understood aspect of phenotypic variability. Here I expand initial studies of the colour gamut of birds by providing the first quantitative description of the colour variation of an entire avifauna: Australian landbirds (555 species). The colour of Australian birds occupies a small fraction (19%) of the entire possible colour space and colour variation is extremely uneven. Most colours are unsaturated, concentrated in the centre of colour space and based on the deposition of melanins. Other mechanisms of colour production are less common but account for larger portions of colour space and for most saturated colours. Male colours occupy 45–25% more colour space than female colours, indicating that sexual dichromatism translates into a broader range of male colours. Male-exclusive colours are often saturated, at the edge of chromatic space, and have most likely evolved for signalling. While most clades of birds occupy expected or lower-than-expected colour volumes, parrots and cockatoos (Order Psittaciformes) occupy a much larger volume than expected. This uneven distribution of colour variation across mechanisms of colour production, sexes and clades is probably shared by avifaunas in other parts of the world, but this remains to be tested with comparable data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaspar Delhey
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia.,Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell, 78315, Germany
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12
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Lahaye SEP, Eens M, Iserbyt A, Groothuis TGG, de Vries B, Müller W, Pinxten R. Influence of mate preference and laying order on maternal allocation in a monogamous parrot species with extreme hatching asynchrony. Horm Behav 2015; 71:49-59. [PMID: 25870020 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2014] [Revised: 03/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
It is well established that in many avian species, prenatal maternal resource allocation varies both between and within clutches and may affect offspring fitness. Differential allocation of maternal resources, in terms of egg weight and yolk composition, may therefore allow the female to adjust brood reduction and to fine-tune reproductive investment in accordance with the expected fitness returns. The adaptive value of such maternal resource allocation is thought to be context-dependent as well as species-specific. We investigated the effects of female preference for her mate on the allocation of prenatal maternal resources in the budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus, a monogamous species of parrot that shows an extreme hatching asynchrony. We assessed mate preferences in a two-way preference test and allowed females two breeding rounds: one with the preferred and one with the non-preferred partner. We found no effect of preference on either latency to lay or clutch size, but females mated with the preferred partner laid eggs that contained significantly more yolk. Their eggs also contained significantly more androstenedione but not testosterone. Our results suggest that in this species, female preference may influence maternal resource allocation, and that the functional roles of each androgen in the yolk should be considered separately. In addition, we found a significant effect of laying order on egg and yolk weight as well as on yolk testosterone and androstenedione levels. These measures, however, did not change linearly with the laying order and render it unlikely that female budgerigars compensate for the extreme hatching asynchrony by adjusting within-clutch allocation of prenatal maternal resources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie E P Lahaye
- Department of Biology, Research Group Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium.
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology, Research Group Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Arne Iserbyt
- Department of Biology, Research Group Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bonnie de Vries
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Centre for Behaviour and Neurosciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wendt Müller
- Department of Biology, Research Group Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rianne Pinxten
- Department of Biology, Research Group Ethology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, 2610 Antwerp, Belgium; Institute for Education and Information Sciences, Research Unit Didactica, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
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13
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Polverino G, Manciocco A, Vitale A, Alleva E. Stereotypic behaviours in Melopsittacus undulatus: Behavioural consequences of social and spatial limitations. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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14
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Cardoso GC, Leitão AV, Funghi C, Batalha HR, Lopes RJ, Mota PG. Similar preferences for ornamentation in opposite- and same-sex choice experiments. J Evol Biol 2014; 27:2798-806. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.12542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2014] [Revised: 10/23/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G. C. Cardoso
- CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
| | - A. V. Leitão
- CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Vida; Universidade de Coimbra; Coimbra Portugal
| | - C. Funghi
- CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Vida; Universidade de Coimbra; Coimbra Portugal
| | - H. R. Batalha
- CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
| | - R. J. Lopes
- CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
| | - P. G. Mota
- CIBIO-Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos; Universidade do Porto; Vairão Portugal
- Departamento de Ciências da Vida; Universidade de Coimbra; Coimbra Portugal
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15
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Tazzyman SJ, Iwasa Y, Pomiankowski A. Signaling efficacy drives the evolution of larger sexual ornaments by sexual selection. Evolution 2014; 68:216-29. [PMID: 24099137 PMCID: PMC3920633 DOI: 10.1111/evo.12255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Accepted: 08/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Why are there so few small secondary sexual characters? Theoretical models predict that sexual selection should lead to reduction as often as exaggeration, and yet we mainly associate secondary sexual ornaments with exaggerated features such as the peacock's tail. We review the literature on mate choice experiments for evidence of reduced sexual traits. This shows that reduced ornamentation is effectively impossible in certain types of ornamental traits (behavioral, pheromonal, or color-based traits, and morphological ornaments for which the natural selection optimum is no trait), but that there are many examples of morphological traits that would permit reduction. Yet small sexual traits are very rarely seen. We analyze a simple mathematical model of Fisher's runaway process (the null model for sexual selection). Our analysis shows that the imbalance cannot be wholly explained by larger ornaments being less costly than smaller ornaments, nor by preferences for larger ornaments being less costly than preferences for smaller ornaments. Instead, we suggest that asymmetry in signaling efficacy limits runaway to trait exaggeration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel J Tazzyman
- Theoretical Biology, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zürich, Universitätstrasse 16, CH-8092, Zürich, Switzerland; CoMPLEX, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; The Galton Laboratory, Department of Genetics, Environment, and Evolution, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
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16
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Leitão AV, Monteiro AH, Mota PG. Ultraviolet reflectance influences female preference for colourful males in the European serin. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1623-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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17
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Lahaye SEP, Eens M, Darras VM, Pinxten R. Hot or not: the effects of exogenous testosterone on female attractiveness to male conspecifics in the budgerigar. PLoS One 2013; 8:e74005. [PMID: 23951365 PMCID: PMC3741142 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0074005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2013] [Accepted: 07/25/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasing number of studies indicate that not only females but also males can be selective when choosing a mate. In species exhibiting male or mutual mate choice, females may benefit from being attractive. While male attractiveness is often positively influenced by higher plasma levels of the androgenic hormone testosterone, it has been shown that testosterone can masculinise female behavior and morphology in several bird species, potentially rendering them less attractive. In this study, we investigated whether female budgerigars, Melopsittacusundulatus, suffer from increased plasma testosterone levels through a negative effect on their attractiveness to males. We experimentally increased plasma testosterone levels in testosterone-treated females (T-females) compared to controls (C-females) and allowed males to choose between a T- and a C-female in a two-way choice situation. Although testosterone treatment significantly affected female behavioral and morphological characteristics, males did not show a significant difference in preference between T- and C-females. These results suggest that experimentally increasing testosterone levels in females does not appear to influence male preference during initial mate choice. Our findings indicate that selection for higher levels of testosterone in male budgerigars is probably not constrained by a correlated response to selection causing negative effects on female attractiveness during initial mate choice. Evaluating whether or not a potential constraint may arise from negative testosterone-induced effects on other fitness related traits in females requires further work.
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Mahr K, Griggio M, Granatiero M, Hoi H. Female attractiveness affects paternal investment: experimental evidence for male differential allocation in blue tits. Front Zool 2012; 9:14. [PMID: 22731522 PMCID: PMC3419069 DOI: 10.1186/1742-9994-9-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2011] [Accepted: 05/21/2012] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The differential allocation hypothesis (DAH) predicts that individuals should adjust their parental investment to their current mate’s quality. Although in principle the DAH holds for both sexes, male adjustment of parental investment has only been tested in a few experimental studies, revealing contradictory results. We conducted a field experiment to test whether male blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) allocate their parental effort in relation to female ornamentation (ultraviolet colouration of the crown), as predicted by the DAH. Results We reduced the UV reflectance in a sample of females and compared parental care by their mates with that of males paired to sham-manipulated control females. As predicted by the DAH our results demonstrate that males paired with UV-reduced females invested less in feeding effort but did not defend the chicks less than males paired with control females. Conclusions To our knowledge, this is one of the first studies providing support for male differential allocation in response to female ornamentation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina Mahr
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology (KLIVV), Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna,Savoyenstraße 1a, A-1160, Vienna, Austria.
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20
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Griggio M, Serra L, Pilastro A. The possible effect of dirtiness on structurally based ultraviolet plumage. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/11250003.2010.504238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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21
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Pérez-Rodríguez L, Mougeot F, Bortolotti GR. The effects of preen oils and soiling on the UV–visible reflectance of carotenoid-pigmented feathers. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2011. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-011-1153-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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22
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Condition dependence of male display coloration in a jumping spider (Habronattus pyrrithrix). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-1127-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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23
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Delhey K, Burger C, Fiedler W, Peters A. Seasonal changes in colour: a comparison of structural, melanin- and carotenoid-based plumage colours. PLoS One 2010; 5:e11582. [PMID: 20644723 PMCID: PMC2904367 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0011582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2010] [Accepted: 06/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plumage coloration is important for bird communication, most notably in sexual signalling. Colour is often considered a good quality indicator, and the expression of exaggerated colours may depend on individual condition during moult. After moult, plumage coloration has been deemed fixed due to the fact that feathers are dead structures. Still, many plumage colours change after moult, although whether this affects signalling has not been sufficiently assessed. Methodology/Principal Findings We studied changes in coloration after moult in four passerine birds (robin, Erithacus rubecula; blackbird, Turdus merula; blue tit, Cyanistes caeruleus; and great tit, Parus major) displaying various coloration types (melanin-, carotenoid-based and structural). Birds were caught regularly during three years to measure plumage reflectance. We used models of avian colour vision to derive two variables, one describing chromatic and the other achromatic variation over the year that can be compared in magnitude among different colour types. All studied plumage patches but one (yellow breast of the blue tit) showed significant chromatic changes over the year, although these were smaller than for a typical dynamic trait (bill colour). Overall, structural colours showed a reduction in relative reflectance at shorter wavelengths, carotenoid-based colours the opposite pattern, while no general pattern was found for melanin-based colours. Achromatic changes were also common, but there were no consistent patterns of change for the different types of colours. Conclusions/Significance Changes of plumage coloration independent of moult are probably widespread; they should be perceivable by birds and have the potential to affect colour signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaspar Delhey
- Behavioural Ecology of Sexual Signals Group, Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Radolfzell, Germany.
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Griggio M, Hoi H, Pilastro A. Plumage maintenance affects ultraviolet colour and female preference in the budgerigar. Behav Processes 2010; 84:739-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2010.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2009] [Revised: 04/14/2010] [Accepted: 05/04/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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25
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López-Rull I, Pagán I, Macías Garcia C. Cosmetic enhancement of signal coloration: experimental evidence in the house finch. Behav Ecol 2010. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arq053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Zhang JX, Wei W, Zhang JH, Yang WH. Uropygial gland-secreted alkanols contribute to olfactory sex signals in budgerigars. Chem Senses 2010; 35:375-82. [PMID: 20212012 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjq025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The possible role of uropygial gland-secreted compounds in olfactory discrimination of sex or sex attractants in the budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus, was investigated using behavioral 2-choice tests and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. Our data showed that female budgerigars were capable of distinguishing males from females in a Y maze via body odor, indicating its sexual dimorphism. When we conducted a chemical assay of the uropygial preen gland secretions, we found 4 times more volatile octadecanol, nonadecanol, and eicosanol in ratios in males than in females, making them putative male pheromone candidates. Female birds also showed overt preferences for the odor of male preen gland secretions or the 3-alkanol blend equivalent preened onto the plumage of a male over that of female counterparts. Removal of any one alkanol was associated with a loss of attractiveness to the female. In another test device (a test cage) with visible male bird stimulus, females chose the male with the 3-alkanol blend of males over the other male with female preen gland secretion, whereas did not differentiate their responses between the males with either this blend or male preen gland secretions. The behavioral data robustly suggested that the 3 alkanols synergistically created a female attractant odor or male pheromone in the budgerigar and that bird uropygial glands have broader implications in sexual behavior than previously known. This is the first investigation with bioassay of components of the gland in a bird species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Xu Zhang
- Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beichenxi Road 1-5, Beijing 100101, China.
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Toomey MB, Butler MW, Meadows MG, Taylor LA, Fokidis HB, McGraw KJ. A novel method for quantifying the glossiness of animals. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-010-0926-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Abstract
The basic science literature is replete with descriptions of naturally occurring or experimentally induced pathological grooming behaviors in animals, which are widely considered animal models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). These animal models rely largely on observed similarities between animal behaviors and human OCD behaviors, and on studies of animal pathological grooming disorders that respond to serotonin enhancing drugs. However, current limitations in assessment of complex cognition and affect in animals precludes the field's ability to match the driving primary processes behind observable phenomenology in animal "OCD" with human behavioral disorders. We propose that excessive grooming behaviors in animals may eventually prove to be equally, or possibly more relevant to, other conditions in humans that involve pathological grooming or grooming-like behaviors, such as trichotillomania, body dysmorphic disorder, olfactory reference syndrome, compulsive skin-picking, and onychophagia. Research is needed to better understand pathological grooming behaviors in both humans and animals, as animal models have the potential to elucidate pathogenic mechanisms and inform the treatment of these psychiatric conditions in humans.
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Griggio M, Zanollo V, Hoi H. UV plumage color is an honest signal of quality in male budgerigars. Ecol Res 2009. [DOI: 10.1007/s11284-009-0632-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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30
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Delhey K, Peters A, Kempenaers B. Cosmetic coloration in birds: occurrence, function, and evolution. Am Nat 2009; 169 Suppl 1:S145-58. [PMID: 19426089 DOI: 10.1086/510095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Colorful plumages are conspicuous social signals in birds, and the expression of these colors often reflects the quality of their bearers. Since mature feathers are dead structures, plumage color is often considered a static signal that does not change after molt. Feathers, however, can and do deteriorate between molts, and birds need to invest heavily in plumage maintenance. Here we argue that this need for preserving plumage condition and hence signaling content might have given rise to a novel type of sexual signal: cosmetic coloration. Cosmetic coloration occurs when the substances used for plumage maintenance change the color of the feathers, thereby becoming a signal themselves. Our review of cosmetic coloration in birds demonstrates that it is more widespread than currently realized, occurring in at least 13 bird families. Cosmetics have varied origins: they can be produced by the bird itself (uropygial and skin secretions, feather powder) or obtained from the environment (soil, iron oxide). Intraspecific patterns of cosmetic use (sex, age, and seasonal dimorphism) suggest that in many cases it may act as a sexual signal. However, more information is required on function, mechanisms, and costs to understand the evolution of cosmetic coloration and to confirm its signaling role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaspar Delhey
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, PO Box 1564, D-82305 Seewiesen, Germany.
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31
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Lenouvel P, Gomez D, Théry M, Kreutzer M. Do grooming behaviours affect visual properties of feathers in male domestic canaries, Serinus canaria? Anim Behav 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2009.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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GRIGGIO M, SERRA L, LICHERI D, CAMPOMORI C, PILASTRO A. Moult speed affects structural feather ornaments in the blue tit. J Evol Biol 2009; 22:782-92. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2009.01700.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Roberts ML, Ras E, Peters A. Testosterone increases UV reflectance of sexually selected crown plumage in male blue tits. Behav Ecol 2009. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arp028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
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Wilson RP, Vargas FH, Steinfurth A, Riordan P, Ropert-Coudert Y, Macdonald DW. WHAT GROUNDS SOME BIRDS FOR LIFE? MOVEMENT AND DIVING IN THE SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC GALÁPAGOS CORMORANT. ECOL MONOGR 2008. [DOI: 10.1890/07-0677.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Kurvers RHJM, Roberts ML, McWilliams SR, Peters A. Experimental manipulation of testosterone and condition during molt affects activity and vocalizations of male blue tits. Horm Behav 2008; 54:263-9. [PMID: 18468606 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2007] [Revised: 03/18/2008] [Accepted: 03/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Testosterone (T) is a key hormone regulating behavioral trade-offs in male birds, shifting investment towards sexual and competitive behaviors. However, the role of T in regulating male behavior during the molt has received very little attention, although this is a crucial life-history stage. Since the effect of T on behavior may be condition-dependent, particularly during the costly molt period, we studied the effects of T and condition in a two-way design. We manipulated T under two dietary regimes (standard and improved, resulting in an enhanced condition) in captive blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus) undergoing the first pre-basic molt. T treatment increased song frequency, indicating that song is T-dependent also at this time of year. Males on the improved diet sang less than males in relatively worse condition, providing no support for song as an indicator of male condition. T-treated males exhibited greater locomotor activity than control males, but only when fed the standard diet. Neither T- nor diet-treatment affected plumage maintenance (preening). Although T treatment resulted in a delay in molt progress all birds completed the molt. Taken together our results show that during the molt male birds are sensitive to relatively small fluctuations in T. Similar to its commonly observed effects during the breeding season, T stimulated an increase in song and locomotion. While there might be some benefits associated with such T effects, these must be traded-off against costs associated with conspicuous behavior and increased molt duration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralf H J M Kurvers
- Sexual Signaling Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Vogelwarte Radolfzell, Schlossallee 2, D-78315 Radolfzell, Germany.
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Optical properties of the uropygial gland secretion: no evidence for UV cosmetics in birds. Naturwissenschaften 2008; 95:939-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s00114-008-0406-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2007] [Revised: 05/08/2008] [Accepted: 05/14/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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37
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Zampiga E, Gaibani G, Csermely D. Ultraviolet reflectance and female mating preferences in the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus). CAN J ZOOL 2008. [DOI: 10.1139/z08-020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Previous studies revealed the importance of plumage brightness (considering only the visible spectral range) in female mate choice of common kestrels ( Falco tinnunculus L., 1758). Our study focuses on the effect of UV reflectance on female preference; we hypothesize that common kestrel females prefer males with UV-reflecting plumage and refuse, or are not attracted to, males whose plumage UV reflectance is prevented. We tested the preference of 20 captive females who were given a choice between two males, one behind a UV-transmitting (UV+) filter and another one behind a UV-blocking (UV–) filter. Female preference was measured as frequency and duration of visits to either male, specifically by sitting on the perch or hanging on to the partition wall. Females visited the male behind the UV+ filter more often than the male behind the UV– filter, indicating that females prefer males with UV-reflecting plumage than males without UV reflection. UV plumage and skin reflectance could provide females with information regarding current male conditions more so than other colours and other morphological parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Zampiga
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Sez. Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Parma, Via Farini 90, 43100 Parma, Italy
| | - G. Gaibani
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Sez. Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Parma, Via Farini 90, 43100 Parma, Italy
| | - D. Csermely
- Dipartimento di Biologia Evolutiva e Funzionale, Sez. Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Parma, Via Farini 90, 43100 Parma, Italy
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Surmacki A, Nowakowski JK. Soil and preen waxes influence the expression of carotenoid-based plumage coloration. Naturwissenschaften 2007; 94:829-35. [PMID: 17541535 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-007-0263-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2006] [Revised: 03/27/2007] [Accepted: 05/09/2007] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The signaling function of carotenoid-based plumage is mainly determined by the concentration of pigments in feathers. For this reason, most studies of the proximate control of coloration focus on processes during and preceding moult. In great tits Parus major, past research demonstrates that carotenoid-based plumage coloration honestly indicates male quality and, thus, may be a sexually selected signal. In this study, we investigate how dirt and preen oil influence the coloration of carotenoid-based feathers in the great tit. We collected six feathers from each individual bird; three feathers served as controls while the remaining three feathers were washed with a chloroform/methanol mixture to remove soil and preen waxes. We assessed plumage coloration using digital photography. This cleaning procedure slightly enhanced ornamentation; the experimentally cleaned feathers expressed hues shifted towards shorter wavelengths and expressed brighter overall coloration than control feathers. This is the first experimental study conducted on wild birds demonstrating that, in addition to pigment concentration, the presence of preen waxes and soils on feathers may contribute to variation in coloration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrian Surmacki
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.
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ROULIN ALEXANDRE. Melanin pigmentation negatively correlates with plumage preening effort in barn owls. Funct Ecol 2007. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2006.01229.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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40
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Kulkarni S, Heeb P. Social and sexual behaviours aid transmission of bacteria in birds. Behav Processes 2007; 74:88-92. [PMID: 17118574 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2006.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2006] [Revised: 10/03/2006] [Accepted: 10/10/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the behavioural mechanisms that mediate pathogen transmission in social hosts like birds could provide the empirical bases for explaining the epidemiological dynamics of zoonotic infections in vertebrates. By experimentally infecting the feathers and cloaca of captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), with the bacterium Bacillus licheniformis PWD1 (BL), we examined the self-contamination and horizontal transmission of birds sharing the same environment. We also examined whether sexual transmission of bacteria is gender biased. Our results show that bacteria placed on the plumage of the birds lead to self and allo-infections of the bird guts, possibly through preening behaviours and bacterial ingestion. Furthermore, we found that sexual transmission of the bacteria was asymmetrical, being higher when males are the transmitting sex. Our results suggest the existence of an oral-faecal-genital route of bacterial transmission for avian hosts, wherein bacteria present on feathers infect their host guts through self and allo-preening and bacterial ingestion. Gut bacteria can then be transmitted sexually with transmission rate being higher when males are the infected sex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhash Kulkarni
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Moravec ML, Striedter GF, Burley NT. Assortative Pairing Based on Contact Call Similarity in Budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus. Ethology 2006. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0310.2006.01267.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Jacot A, Kempenaers B. Effects of nestling condition on UV plumage traits in blue tits: an experimental approach. Behav Ecol 2006. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arl054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Delhey K, Peters A, Johnsen A, Kempenaers B. Seasonal changes in blue tit crown color: do they signal individual quality? Behav Ecol 2006. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arl012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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