Patterns of testosterone in three Nearctic-Neotropical migratory songbirds during spring passage

General and Comparative Endocrinology
Kristen M CovinoFrank R Moore

Abstract

Preparation for breeding may overlap extensively with vernal migration in long-distance migratory songbirds. Testosterone plays a central role in mediating this transition into breeding condition by facilitating changes to physiology and behavior. While changes in testosterone levels are well studied in captive migrants, these changes are less well known in free-living birds. We examined testosterone levels in free-living Nearctic-Neotropical migrants of three species during their vernal migration. Testosterone levels increased during the migratory period in males of all three species but significantly so in only two. Testosterone levels in females remained the same throughout their migration. Our results support the extensive overlap between vernal migration and breeding preparation in male songbirds. The pattern of testosterone changes during vernal migration is far from clear in females.

References

Oct 1, 1972·General and Comparative Endocrinology·M H Stetson, J E Erickson
Sep 22, 1996·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·R GriffithsC Dijkstra
Nov 5, 1997·General and Comparative Endocrinology·N L Staub, M De Beer
Aug 26, 1998·Molecular Ecology·R GriffithsR J Dawson
Jul 28, 1999·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·M RamenofskyM R Greenwood
Oct 20, 2001·Brain, Behavior and Evolution·J C WingfieldK K Soma
Apr 12, 2002·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Michaela HauThomas J Van't Hof
Jun 13, 2003·Nature·Martin WikelskiG Henk Visser
Mar 15, 2006·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Alistair Dawson
Jan 27, 2007·Hormones and Behavior·Ulf BauchingerHerbert Biebach
Jul 20, 2007·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·John C Wingfield
Dec 1, 2007·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Bart KempenaersKatharina Foerster
Feb 22, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Colin E StuddsPeter P Marra
Jul 23, 2008·Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology·M B Swett, C W Breuner
Feb 14, 2009·Science·Bridget J M StutchburyVsevolod Afanasyev
Apr 28, 2009·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Thomas P HahnScott A MacDougall-Shackleton
Jan 30, 2010·The Surgical Clinics of North America·Kelli Bullard Dunn
Jul 29, 2011·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Christopher M TonraRebecca L Holberton
Oct 30, 2013·Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences·Kimberly A Rosvall
May 2, 2014·Hormones and Behavior·Marilyn Ramenofsky, Zoltán Németh

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Aug 19, 2016·Hormones and Behavior·Alannah H LymburnerScott A MacDougall-Shackleton
Feb 7, 2020·General and Comparative Endocrinology·Devorah MatasLee Koren
Nov 13, 2017·Hormones and Behavior·Kristen M CovinoFrank R Moore

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Cell Migration

Cell migration is involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes such as embryonic development, cancer metastasis, blood vessel formation and remoulding, tissue regeneration, immune surveillance and inflammation. Here is the latest research.