Testosterone stimulates the expression of male-typical socio-sexual and song behaviors in female budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus): An experimental study

General and Comparative Endocrinology
Stefanie E P LahayeRianne Pinxten

Abstract

The hormonal control of sex differences in behavior has been extensively studied, particularly in mammals and birds. Studies have shown that the activational potential of the androgenic sex steroid testosterone (T) on male-typical behaviors in females seems to be species- as well as behavior-specific in birds. It is therefore important to study the activational effects of T in a great variety of bird species and on a wide range of behaviors, preferably in social conditions that favor their expression. Here, we investigated the activational effects of T on vocal, socio-sexual (i.e. affiliative and non-vocal courtship behaviors), aggressive and approach behavior in females of the budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus, a highly social monogamous parrot species. We experimentally supplemented T-females with male-like plasma T levels compared to controls. First, we observed females when they were individually housed. We found that T-females performed male-like levels of warbling song, sang significantly longer, but not more song bouts and produced more socio-sexual behaviors than controls. Then, we consecutively confronted females with a female, a dummy, and a male conspecific. T-females showed a significantly shorter latency to inter...Continue Reading

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Citations

May 27, 2014·Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology·Christine R DahlinTimothy F Wright
Apr 23, 2021·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Barney A Schlinger, Ioana Chiver

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