Cutaneous Immune Activity, but Not Innate Immune Responsiveness, Covaries with Mass and Environment in Nestling House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon)

2010 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 512-518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M. Forsman ◽  
Scott K. Sakaluk ◽  
Charles F. Thompson ◽  
Laura A. Vogel
Keyword(s):  
Innate Immune ◽  
Immune Responsiveness ◽  
Troglodytes Aedon ◽  
Immune Activity ◽  
House Wrens

Condition-dependent sex difference in nestling House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) response to phytohaemagglutinin injection

2014 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.F. Thompson ◽  
S.K. Sakaluk ◽  
B.S. Masters ◽  
B.G.P. Johnson ◽  
L.A. Vogel ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Health State ◽  
Immune Responsiveness ◽  
Troglodytes Aedon ◽  
House Wren ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Bacteria Killing ◽  
The One ◽  
Breeding Seasons

Adult male and female birds typically respond differently to immunological challenges, but whether this difference is present in altricial nestlings is not well-documented. Furthermore, the timing of the development of different axes of the immune system might vary in nestlings and also be affected by differences in condition and health state. We tested for sex-related differences in the immune response of nestling House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) to the injection of phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and in the bacteria-killing capacity of their plasma. Based on prior work, we predicted that if there were sex-related differences in immune responsiveness, they would most likely occur when the sexes differed in some measure of condition or health state. Female nestlings had a stronger response to the injection of PHA than males in the one of three breeding seasons in which the condition of nestling females exceeded that of males, suggesting that the response to PHA injection is condition-dependent rather than sex-dependent. The sexes, however, did not differ in bactericidal activity, suggesting that different axes of the immune system may not be affected to the same degree by differences in sex or in condition.

Female Attraction To Male Song in House Wrens (Troglodytes Aedon)

Behaviour ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 133 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 357-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Searcy ◽  
L. Scott Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Evidence ◽  
Empty Nest ◽  
Troglodytes Aedon ◽  
Nest Box ◽  
Male Song ◽  
Visit Rate ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Female Attraction ◽  
Male House

AbstractThis study tested the hypothesis that the song of male birds can function to attract mates. At 11 different locations on our Wyoming study area, we broadcast the song of male house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) from a loudspeaker mounted next to an empty nest box in an unoccupied wren territory. The number of female wrens attracted to the 'speaker box' was compared to the number visiting a silent, control box on another, unoccupied territory nearby. Females visited speaker boxes at a significantly higher rate than they visited control boxes. Ten females visited speaker boxes in six different trials during periods when no male was associated with either the speaker or control box (total time = 45.5 h; visit rate = 0.22/h). In contrast, only one female visited a control box during these same periods (= 0.02 visits/h), and she did so after first visiting the speaker box. Two females visited the speaker box simultaneously in some trials and chasing or fighting always ensued. Many females showed signs of settling permanently at speaker boxes, remaining at speaker boxes from their arrival to the end of the trial (> 5 h in two cases), and most began constructing nests in boxes, despite the absence of a male. In summary, this study provides strong experimental evidence that the song of male house wrens can function to attract mates for breeding.

Do House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) add spider egg cases to their nests for heterospecific cleaning?

2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (1) ◽  
pp. 50-56
Author(s):  
C.L. Gable ◽  
T.J. Underwood ◽  
G.P. Setliff
Keyword(s):  
Dna Barcoding ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
The Body ◽  
Troglodytes Aedon ◽  
House Wren ◽  
Late Season ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Significant Difference

House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon Vieillot, 1809) regularly add spider egg cases (Arachnida: Araneae) to their nests, which may be an example of heterospecific cleaning. This behavior involves one animal employing another to remove parasites from their nests. In House Wren nests, juvenile spiders hatching from egg cases may facilitate the reduction of mites that feed on nestlings. We tested this ectoparasite reduction hypothesis by monitoring House Wren nests for spider egg cases and by collecting completed nests to compare the number of spider egg cases and Dermanyssus hirundinis (Hermann, 1804) mites. No significant relationship was found between the number of spider egg cases and number of D. hirundinis mites in nests. We also found no significant relationship between the number of D. hirundinis mites in nests and the body condition of nestlings. Finally, no significant difference was found between the number of D. hirundinis mites in early versus late season nests, but significantly more spider egg cases were added to late season nests. Of a subsample of spider egg cases dissected, we found that 28% contained spider eggs or embryos. We also identified three species of juvenile spiders from House Wren nests using DNA barcoding. Overall, we found no evidence that spider egg cases reduce the number of D. hirundinis mites or engender better quality offspring in House Wren nests.

Loss of Presenilin 2 Function Is Associated with Defective LPS-Mediated Innate Immune Responsiveness

2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (5) ◽  
pp. 3428-3438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vishal Agrawal ◽  
Neha Sawhney ◽  
Emer Hickey ◽  
Justin V. McCarthy
Keyword(s):  
Innate Immune ◽  
Immune Responsiveness ◽  
Presenilin 2

Natal and Breeding Dispersal in House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon)

The Auk ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 105 (3) ◽  
pp. 480-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nancy E. Drilling ◽  
Charles F. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Natal Dispersal ◽  
Breeding Dispersal ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Troglodytes Aedon ◽  
Grid Pattern ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Previous Season ◽  
Central Illinois

Abstract We studied the natal and breeding dispersal of yearling and adult House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) for 7 yr in central Illinois. The forested study areas contained 910 identical nest boxes placed in a grid pattern. On average 38.1% (n = 643) of the adult males and 23.3% (n = 1,468) of the adult females present in one year returned the next; 2.8% (n = 6,299) of the nestlings that survived to leave the nest returned each year. Adult male (median distance = 67 m) and adult female (median = 134 m) breeding dispersal was less than yearling male (median = 607.5 m) and yearling female (median = 674 m) natal dispersal. Females that returned had produced more offspring the previous season than had nonreturning females, and females that successfully produced at least one chick in their last nesting attempt of the previous season moved shorter distances than did unsuccessful females. There were, however, no consistent differences between returning and nonreturning females in two other measures of reproductive success. Females that were unsuccessful in their last breeding attempt of the previous year were more likely to be successful in their next attempt if they moved two or more territories than if they did not move. Reproductive success did not affect the likelihood that a male would return nor the distance that he moved. The success of subsequent nesting attempts by males was also not related to the distance moved. Inbreeding avoidance may explain differences between breeding and natal dispersal, but it does not explain the lack of difference in dispersal of yearling females and males. Differences between adult and yearling dispersal are best explained by advantages accruing to adults that remain near former breeding sites and by the necessity for yearlings to move farther because of their late return from the wintering grounds. The advantages for adults to reoccupy previous breeding sites are counterbalanced, especially in females, by advantages associated with moving after breeding failure.

Female house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) increase the size, but not immunocompetence, of their offspring through extra-pair mating

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (16) ◽  
pp. 3697-3706 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANNA M.  FORSMAN ◽  
LAURA A.  VOGEL ◽  
SCOTT K.  SAKALUK ◽  
BONNIE G.  JOHNSON ◽  
BRIAN S.  MASTERS ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Troglodytes Aedon ◽  
House Wrens ◽  
Pair Mating ◽  
Extra Pair Mating

scholarly journals Innate Immune Activity Conditions the Effect of Regulatory Variants upon Monocyte Gene Expression

Science ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 343 (6175) ◽  
pp. 1246949-1246949 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. P. Fairfax ◽  
P. Humburg ◽  
S. Makino ◽  
V. Naranbhai ◽  
D. Wong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Immune Activity ◽  
Regulatory Variants
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