A potential mate influences reproductive development in female, but not male, pine siskins

Hormones and Behavior
Heather E WattsThomas P Hahn

Abstract

The role of photoperiod in avian reproductive timing has been well studied, and we are increasingly recognizing the roles of other environmental cues such as social cues. However, few studies have evaluated the extent to which males and females of the same species respond similarly to the same type of cue. Moreover, previous studies have rarely examined how variation in the quality or nature of a given social cue might modulate its effect. Here, we examine the sensitivity of male and female pine siskins (Spinus pinus) to a potential mate as a stimulatory cue for gonadal recrudescence, and we investigate whether variation in the relationship between a bird and its potential mate modulates the effect of that potential mate. Birds were initially housed without opposite sex birds on a 12L:12D photoperiod with ad libitum food. After gonadal recrudescence had begun males and females were randomly paired with an opposite sex bird or housed alone. An additional group of males was paired with estradiol-implanted females. In males, these social treatments had no effect on testis length, cloacal protuberance length, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, or testosterone levels. In females, presence of a potential mate had a significant and posi...Continue Reading

References

Jan 1, 1991·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. A, Comparative Physiology·M A Mitchell, A J Carlisle
Apr 20, 2004·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Thomas P HahnGeorge E Bentley
Dec 6, 2005·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Rupert C MarshallHubert Schwabl
Sep 21, 2006·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Scott A MacDougall-ShackletonThomas P Hahn
Jul 20, 2007·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Gregory F Ball, Ellen D Ketterson
Feb 26, 2008·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Tyler J StevensonScott A MacDougall-Shackleton
Jun 19, 2008·General and Comparative Endocrinology·John C Wingfield
Aug 19, 2008·Hormones and Behavior·Kristen E ManteiJohn D Buntin
Oct 17, 2009·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·F H Bronson
Jan 6, 2012·The American Naturalist·Sonja V SchaperMarcel E Visser
May 10, 2012·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Heather E Watts, Thomas P Hahn

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Citations

Mar 28, 2017·American Journal of Physical Anthropology·Alexander V GeorgievChristopher W Kuzawa
Oct 16, 2019·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Maria R ServedioTrevor D Price
Jan 1, 2017·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Maria E SquireHeather E Watts

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