Sexual Imprinting in the Collared Dove (Streptopelia Decaocto)

Behaviour ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 122 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carel TEN CATE ◽  
John Hilbers ◽  
Miriam Hall
Keyword(s):  
Foster Parents ◽  
Mate Preferences ◽  
Mate Preference ◽  
Sexual Imprinting ◽  
Streptopelia Risoria ◽  
Ring Dove ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Ring Doves ◽  
Cross Fostering

AbstractAlthough the occurrence of sexual imprinting has been demonstrated for doves, it is less well known how strong this effect is and which factors contribute to it. Therefore we examined whether cross-fostering collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) to white ring doves (Streptopelia risoria) affected later mate preference and, also, whether the strenght of this preference depended on sex of the experimental birds, on the presence of siblings during rearing, on behaviour of the (foster)parents and on the behaviour of the stimulus birds during testing. Mate preferences were measured during choice tests using either stuffed or living stimulus birds, one of each species. The result showed (1) a strong effect of rearing species, but not of sex or presence of siblings on the later preference, (2) an overall bias towards preferring ring doves over conspecifics, both in tests using stuffed and tests using living stimulus birds, and (3) a tendency for the preference to shift towards collared doves with increasing age or testing experience. The findings indicate the occurrence of sexual imprinting in the collared dove and are compared with data on other species. The overall bias towards the ring dove was unexpected, but we suggest that this 'other species' bias may result from the same mechanisms which are responsible for the occurrence of an 'own species bias' in a number of other species.

OVARIAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE FEMALE RING DOVE IN RESPONSE TO STIMULATION BY INTACT AND CASTRATED MALE RING DOVES

1974 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
MEI-FANG CHENG
Keyword(s):  
Ovarian Development ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Male Courtship ◽  
Streptopelia Risoria ◽  
Ring Dove ◽  
Cytological Changes ◽  
Courtship Activity ◽  
Ring Doves ◽  
Ovarian Stage ◽  
Different Levels

SUMMARY Six ovarian stages were identified in terms of egglaying latency in female ring doves (Streptopelia risoria); each stage is specified by a range of follicle sizes, characteristic follicle colour, vascularity and appearance of the oviduct. Relationships between these ovarian stages and cytological changes, levels of ovarian hormones and behavioural changes were examined. In another experiment female doves at different ovarian stages were paired with intact or castrated male birds to evaluate the effects of different levels of courtship activity on ovulation and egg-laying. Castrated male birds were effective in stimulating ovarian development culminating in egg-laying in females of advanced ovarian stage, but ineffective in female birds at earlier ovarian stages. In view of this, the decline of male courtship activity seen in normal breeding may have an important function in the reproductive biology of this species.

Sexual imprinting on a novel blue ornament in zebra finches

Behaviour ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 143 (8) ◽  
pp. 969-991 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Caspers ◽  
Klaudia Witte
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Evolution ◽  
Mate Preferences ◽  
Binary Choice ◽  
Zebra Finches ◽  
Sexual Imprinting ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Learned Preference

AbstractSexual imprinting plays an important role for the development of mate preferences in birds. We tested whether male and female zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata sexually imprinted on an evolutionary novel trait, a blue feather on the forehead in parents. Additionally, we tested whether males and females would transfer a learned preference for the blue feather to a preference for blue leg bands, and whether a potential mate with two novel blue traits can amplify its attractiveness. Offspring were raised by parents in four different imprinting groups: (1) both parents unadorned; (2) the mother adorned only; (3) the father adorned only; (4) both parents adorned with the blue feather. After young reached maturity, we tested their mate preference for adorned and unadorned conspecifics of the opposite sex in binary choice tests. Females of the father adorned imprinting group sexually imprinted on the blue feather, and females reared by adorned parents showed a tendency to prefer adorned males. None of the males sexually imprinted on the blue feather. Our study replicates the results of a previous study on sexual imprinting on a red feather in zebra finches. We, therefore, propose a sex difference in the learning process of sexual imprinting. Females sexually imprinted on the blue feather did not transfer the learned preference to males with blue leg bands, and two novel blue traits could not amplify the attractiveness in males and females for the opposite sex. Our study emphasizes the role of sexual imprinting for the cultural evolution in mate preferences in zebra finches.

NO SEXUAL IMPRINTING ON A RED BILL AS A NOVEL TRAIT

Behaviour ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 137 (9) ◽  
pp. 1223-1239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaudia Witte ◽  
Anne Hörster ◽  
Eberhard Curio
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Social Factors ◽  
Female Mate Choice ◽  
Mate Preferences ◽  
Sexual Imprinting ◽  
Novel Traits ◽  
Choice Tests ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Natural Type ◽  
Males And Females

AbstractSexual imprinting is one of several known non - genetical, yet social factors which influence mate preferences and might play a role in the evolution of novel traits. We introduced a red bill as a novel trait in a monomorphic estrildid finch, the Javanese mannikin Lonchura leucogastroides. We established three different imprinting groups in which the father only, the mother only or none of the parents had a red bill. After reaching maturity we tested the offspring in double choice tests for a response to birds of the opposite sex with a naturally coloured black bill or with an artificially coloured red bill. Neither males nor females showed a preference for potential mates with a red bill. Males and females raised by a red bill father showed even a strong rejection to conspecifics of the opposite sex with a red bill. This is in contrast to a previous imprinting study in the Javanese mannikin under similar conditions (Witte et al., 2000) in which males and females became sexually imprinted on conspecifics adorned with a red feather on the forehead. It seems that not all kinds of novel traits birds can be sexually imprinted on. We could show in the present study that the red bill is a meaningful trait in female mate choice, i.e. females responded to males with and without a red bill in a similar way as do females imprinted on natural type parents to males with and without other artificial adornments (Witte & Curio, 1999). We could confirm an interaction between the red bill and the natural attractiveness of males as found in a previous study (Witte & Curio, 1999). Our study opens up questions about what traits are really learned and why some traits are not learned during imprinting.

Some Social and Hormonal Determinants of Nest-Building Behaviour in the Ring Dove (Streptopelia Risoria)

Behaviour ◽  
1973 ◽  
Vol 45 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 12-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carl J. Erickson ◽  
Marie Christine Martinez-Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Pine Needles ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Diurnal Changes ◽  
Streptopelia Risoria ◽  
Ring Dove ◽  
Nest Materials ◽  
Building Behaviour ◽  
Ring Doves

AbstractTwo experiments were performed to evaluate some of the controlling factors in ring dove nest-building behaviour. In the first study six pairs of animals were observed each day until the first egg appeared. Behaviour was recorded during four intervals on each day in order to obtain estimates of diurnal changes in behaviour. Moreover, each pair was presented with a variety of nest-building materials in order to determine those kinds that would be most acceptable to the animals in subsequent studies. The birds showed striking diurnal changes in behaviour. Bow-cooing, aggressive pecking by the male, nest soliciting, time-in-the-nest, and allopreening exhibited a steady decline throughout the day. Nest-building activity reached a peak between one and seven hours after the lights came on in the morning and then declined throughout the remainder of the day. By contrast, copulatory behaviour, though infrequent in the morning hours, rose sharply in the late afternoon and reached a peak during the evening watch. Feeding and self-preening also increased slightly during the afternoon and evening. The ring doves also showed marked preferences in their choice of nest materials. Light-colored reed was preferred almost exclusively to dark-colored reed. Moreover, as nest construction progressed, there was a change in the type of material collected. During early building approximately equal numbers of pine needles as well as light and heavy reed were collected. As the nest neared completion, reed collection diminished and pine needles alone were collected. The resulting structure consisted of a base of several materials lined with pine needles alone. Observations in this first experiment suggested that gathering activity by the male was elicited by the presence of the female in the nest site. A second experiment was designed to examine this relationship. Twelve female ring doves were injected with progesterone and diethylstilboestrol while another twelve females served as oil-injected controls. Hormone-treated females were found to become more firmly established at the nest site during the first two days after introduction to a male. The males mated with these hormone-treated females engaged in more nest material gathering than did males mated with oil-treated females. It was concluded that gathering behaviour by the male is determined, at least in part, by relevant social cues from the female.

THE EFFECT OF EXOGENOUS HORMONES ON AGGRESSIVE AND DEFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR IN THE RING DOVE (STREPTOPELIA RISORIA)

1966 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. M. VOWLES ◽  
D. HARWOOD
Keyword(s):  
Direct Effect ◽  
Indirect Effect ◽  
Aggressive Behaviour ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Defensive Behaviour ◽  
Hormonal Effects ◽  
Streptopelia Risoria ◽  
Ring Dove ◽  
Second Peak ◽  
Model Predator

SUMMARY The aggressive and defensive behaviour of the ring dove was studied in response to a model predator and to another member of the same species. During a single breeding cycle defensive behaviour increased rapidly just before laying, reached a second peak at the time of hatching, and declined as the squabs became independent. Cocks showed aggressive behaviour to other doves throughout the cycle, but this response reached a peak soon after laying, and declined at the time of hatching. The effects of seven daily injections of oestrogen, progesterone, progesterone plus oestrogen, testosterone, and prolactin were studied. In both sexes prolactin and progesterone (with and without oestrogen) increased defensive behaviour towards a predator; in hens these hormones also increased defensive behaviour towards other birds. In cocks, however, prolactin had no effect on the response to other doves; progesterone (with and without oestrogen) increased aggressiveness, and oestrogen increased nest-cooing. Single injections of the same hormones produced similar effects, with the exception that testosterone and oestrogen in hens caused a temporary (1–5 hr.) increase in defensive behaviour. The latency of most hormonal effects was 30 min. to 2 hr., although the injections were intramuscular. This suggests a direct effect on central nervous mechanisms. Progesterone had a latency of 12–18 hr., suggesting an indirect effect.

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