Increased sibling competition does not increase testosterone or corticosterone levels in nestlings of the spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor)

Hormones and Behavior
Diego GilMarisa Puerta

Abstract

Nestling begging in passerine birds is a complex behaviour that is shaped by a multitude of ecological factors and could be physiologically mediated by varying levels of steroid hormones. Previous research has shown links between sibling competition and testosterone and corticosterone in several bird species. The spotless starling (Sturnus unicolor) is a medium sized passerine in which nestlings compete intensively for resources, often resulting in marked size hierarchies that can have profound effects on their fitness. We tested the hypothesis that an increase in sibling competition levels would result in increases in testosterone and corticosterone in this species. To this end we conducted a brood size manipulation, creating small, medium and large broods. This manipulation had the expected effect on morphology: nestling size and mass decreased with increasing brood size. Androgen levels varied in response to brood size manipulation but, contrary to expectations, the largest concentrations were found in reduced brood sizes. Corticosterone levels increased with increasing brood size, but this effect disappeared when we corrected for the time taken to process nestlings. Cell-mediated immune response was found to decrease with i...Continue Reading

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Citations

Jul 25, 2014·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·Brittany R JenkinsRebecca J Safran
May 27, 2014·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Alexander BraaschTon G G Groothuis
Feb 5, 2011·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Michelle A RenselStephan J Schoech
Oct 29, 2008·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Adám Z LendvaiOlivier Chastel
Jul 8, 2011·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Alexander BraaschPeter H Becker
Nov 28, 2019·Ecology Letters·Marion ChatelainMarta Szulkin
Mar 13, 2021·Oecologia·Hannah M ScharfWendy M Schelsky
Mar 31, 2010·Physiology & Behavior·Timothy A GowanDavid C Rostal

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