Experiments On Pair Bond Stability in Domestic Pigeons (Columba Livia Domestica)

Behaviour ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 134 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 275-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelika Wosegien
Keyword(s):  
Breeding Success ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Exposure Period ◽  
Pair Bond ◽  
Choice Situation ◽  
Bond Stability ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Term Pair ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

AbstractMany long-lived birds form long-term pair bonds, but they sometimes divorce. Until now most suggestions concerning factors relevant to the stability of the pair bond in birds were based on correlational data, which do not allow conclusions about causal relationships. Here, the probability of divorce in domestic pigeons (Columba livia) was tested experimentally, and separately for both male and female. Breeding success and pair bond duration of pairs was manipulated. After separation from the mate for up to 60 days the subject (female or male) was allowed to court to a new mate for 4 hours. Then the subject was given a choice between the old and the new mate presented simultaneously on either side of the experimental cage. A further possibility to choose between the two mates was given in later stage in the familiar aviary. Female subjects without breeding success showed little courtship towards the old male, especially when they had nest-cooed a lot to the new male during the four hours exposure. In the latter cases they chose the new male in the experimental choice situation. The preference for the old mate in the choice situation by females with breeding success was positively related to the duration of the previous pair bond. All females that had been paired for at least 200 days (N = 11), chose their old males. On the other hand, 86% of the females that had been paired for less than 152 days, chose the new male. Forty percent of the male subjects with breeding success preferred the new female in the experimental choice situation. This preference was especially shown by males that had performed frequent nest-cooing during the four hours exposure period. In the aviary, however, all males with or without breeding success reoccupied their nest at once and started nest-cooing and finally courted the female which was able to defend access to the nest against other females. This was always the male's former mate. Males preferred to occupy a nest over courting with any particular female. The results are discussed in relation to existing hypotheses of divorce.

scholarly journals Mate Attentiveness, Seasonal Timing of Breeding and Long-term Pair Bonding in the House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

Behaviour ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 141 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-13 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Hill ◽  
Kevin McGraw
Keyword(s):  
Pair Bond ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Carpodacus Mexicanus ◽  
Timing Of Breeding ◽  
Pair Bonding ◽  
House Finches ◽  
Breeding Date ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Term Pair

AbstractIn seasonally breeding birds, natural selection favors individuals that begin breeding earlier in a year because they produce more or higher quality offspring than those that begin breeding later. Among the factors that influence the timing of breeding, which include the age, health, competitive ability, or mate quality of individuals, is the longevity of the pair bond, with birds that remain mated across years initiating breeding earlier in the season than newly formed pairs. The behavioural interactions between pair members that may facilitate long-term pair bonding and early breeding onset have infrequently been studied, however. Here we report the relationship between male-female affiliative behaviour, pair-bond duration, and breeding date in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus), a short-lived, socially monogamous passerine species in which the duration of pair bonds is highly variable within and among seasons. Finches that initiated breeding earliest in the season were those that had bred with one another in previous years. Early breeding males from returning pairs maintained significantly closer contact with their mate during the first egg-laying period of the year than did males from late-breeding, newly formed pairs. Similarly, early-breeding females from returning pairs followed their mate more closely in nest-vicinity flights during the fertile period than females from late-breeding, newly formed pairs. These results suggest that attributes of and interactions between both pair members may help to maintain stable breeding pairs and influence the timing of breeding in seasonally nesting, short-lived songbirds. Rather than advertising for or seeking extra-pair fertilization opportunities, high-quality pairs of finches may invest heavily in their mate to secure the pair bond and ensure high intrapair reproductive success.

Extra-Pair Copulations in the Red-Billed Gull: Females With High-Quality, Attentive Males Resist

Behaviour ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 128 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 41-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. Mills
Keyword(s):  
Mating System ◽  
Reproductive Investment ◽  
Pair Bond ◽  
Feeding Rates ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Fertile Period ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Courtship Feeding ◽  
Term Pair ◽  
Strange Male

AbstractExtra-pair copulation (EPC) and within-pair copulation (WPC) behaviour of red-billed gulls (Larus novaehollandiae scopulinus) was observed in a breeding colony at Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand. Twenty-five females and 19 individually colour-marked males were monitored for six hours per day for twenty days from 20 September to 30 October 1973. Extra-pair copulation attempts were common, amounting to 21% of all copulation attempts, but less than 3% were successful during the fertile period of the female. Ten percent of EPCs were on males. Within-pair mountings were eight times more likely to end in cloacal contact than EPCs. Within-pair and EPC attempts occurred throughout the day, but the frequency of WPC attempts increased markedly towards evening, possibly as an adaptation to ensure last-male sperm precedence. Approximately 80% of females, but only 32% of males, were involved in EPC attempts. Mounting within and between pairs increased in frequency about 15 days prior to laying of the first cgg. Within-pair copulation attempts ceased abruptly after the first egg was laid, but EPC attempts on the female continued well into incubation and amounted to 11% of the total EPC attempts. Seventy-five percent of EPC attempts occurred in the fertile period of the recipient female. Approximately 75% of the EPC attempts by males occurred over a nine-day period; six days prior to and two days after its mate had laid the first egg. No EPC attempts were recorded for males more than seven days after its mate commenced laying. The female had control as to whether the copulation attempt would be successful. In WPC attempts the female ended the mount on 72% of the occasions, whereas all EPC attempts were ended by the female. Approximately 91% of within-pair mountings followed some form of courtship feeding display, and in the remaining 9% the male mounted without courtship preliminaries. In contrast, 97% of extra-pair mountings occurred in the absence of courtship displays. On the two instances where preliminaries occurred, mounting followed courtship feeding solicitation by the female towards the strange male. Potentially high quality females which were being well provisioned in courtship feeding by their mates were at greater risk from EPCs because they were able to spend more time at the nest site than less well provisioned females. Females which were well fed during courtship feeding resisted all EPC attempts and retained their partner the next breeding season. Poorly courtship fed females divorced the next season. One such female solicited an EPC four days prior to the laying of her first egg. There was no evidence to suggest that males performing EPCs were at risk from being cuckolded and the male partners of females experiencing high numbers of EPCs did not respond to the risk by having more WPCs or having more genital contacts per hour. It is considered that EPCs were not a major feature of the mating system for the majority of red-billed gulls. The advantages of EPCs were greater for females than for males and the results support the genetic quality hypothesis. Theoretically if males wanted to maximise their fitness they should attempt EPC's on females nesting earlier than themselves, but this only happened on 17% of the EPC attempts. The high number of WPCs, the increase in frequency of copulations in the evening and high courtship feeding rates are measures that help to ensure paternity of the true mate. It is hypothesized that in species like the red-billed gull which have long-term pair-bonds and invest considerable time and energy in courtship feeding and parental care during incubation and chick rearing it would be more advantageous to strengthen the pair-bond than to philander to increase production. In a mating system such as this, philandering would jeopardize the current reproductive investment and future reproduction because those which change partners are less productive than those which retain their partners and for those which divorce the probability of breeding the next season is lower than for those which retain pair-bonds (MILLS, unpub. data). More successful breeding occurs if the pair-bond has been established for more than one year (MILLS, unpub. data). Thus, in this mating system the ''attentive prosper''.

scholarly journals Age and Reproduction in Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers (Dendrocopos Minor)

The Auk ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 118 (3) ◽  
pp. 624-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ulf Wiktander ◽  
Ola Olsson ◽  
Sven G. Nilsson
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Pair Bond ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Territory Quality ◽  
Differential Survival ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Term Pair ◽  
Dendrocopos Minor

Abstract We examined the influence of female age, male age, and pair-bond duration on start of egg-laying, clutch size, and number of young fledged in the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendrocopos minor). We also attempted to disentangle the relative influence of individual age and pair-bond duration on reproduction, because the effect of those factors may be confounded. Breeding performance improved with age in that old females started egg-laying earlier and old males raised more young than yearlings, and old pairs both started egg-laying earlier and raised more young than new pairs. Clutch size was not affected by age, but showed a strong negative relation with laying date. Late-laying yearling females experienced a lower survival, and the survival of yearling males showed a positive relation with fledgling production. That differential survival was a likely mechanism explaining the differences in reproductive performance between yearling and old birds. Several analyses suggested that pair-bond duration had independent positive effects on reproduction. Benefit of long-term pair-bonds appeared to depend upon repeated breeding with a particular partner. The mechanisms behind the benefit of remating with a particular partner remain unclear, however. We postulate that much of the patterns of age effects on reproduction in the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker may be caused by constraints posed by the territorial system and effects of territory quality, although effects of individual quality can not be excluded.

Is male song quality important in maintaining pair bonds?

Behaviour ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 143 (5) ◽  
pp. 549-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Adkins-Regan ◽  
Michelle Tomaszycki
Keyword(s):  
Bond Formation ◽  
Pair Bond ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nerve Transection ◽  
Pair Bonds ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Term Pair ◽  
Breeding Attempt ◽  
Males And Females

AbstractThis study investigated a possible mechanism for maintaining long-term pair bonds in a socially monogamous songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Only males sing in this species. Song is thought to be important in female choice, and our earlier research showed that distortion of song by tracheosyringeal nerve transection (TS) and temporary muting by puncturing the interclavicular air sac (AS) both had profound effects on female's choice of male mates and pair formation. Males continue to sing when paired, though function and importance of this song is not well understood. The current study investigated whether these same vocal manipulations affected the maintenance of pair bonds. A total of 27 males and females formed pairs in aviaries. After 3 weeks of pairing and one week after the start of egg laying, males were experimentally manipulated. Eggs were then removed, so that females were forced to decide whether or not to engage in another breeding attempt with their mate. Novel unpaired males and females were added to the aviaries for potential extra pair copulation partners or new mates and pairs were then observed for four weeks. Only two pairs separated after song-altering surgery (both in the TS group), and one of these TS males quickly paired with another female. Of the pairs that remained together, there were no significant differences in courtship or pairing behaviors compared with control pairs. These results suggest that song quality has surprisingly little effect on female pairing decisions once the pair has formed, and that the song quality mechanisms of pair bond formation are not required in the maintenance of the pair bond.

MICROSCOPIC AND MOLECULAR DIAGNOSIS OF Ascaridia spp. IN DOMESTIC PIGEONS(Columba livia domestica) IN BAGHDAD CITY,IRAQ

2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1220-1225
Author(s):  
Faraj & Al- Amery
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Diagnosis ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Ascaridia Galli ◽  
Molecular Assay ◽  
Infection Rates ◽  
Conventional Pcr ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Pcr Products ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

Ascaridiosis is a very important parasitic disease of birds, it is caused by Ascaridia. This study was conducted to identify the Ascaridia species by microscopic and molecular assay in Baghdad city. One hundred and sixty fecal samples were collected from domestic pigeons during the period from 1/1/ 2019 to 31/3/ 2019.  Results showed that the rate of infection for Ascaridia spp. 15.62% by microscopic examination.  Significant difference was observed in infection rates between males and females pigeons. Fifty samples randomly selected and subjected to molecular diagnosis of Ascaridia  spp.. Molecular examination results, the total infection rate showed 16%(8/50). The eight  positive PCR products were sequenced and deposited in Gene bank data base, phylogenic analysis demonstrated that 4 sequences belongs to Ascaridia galli ( MK918635.1, MK918636.1, MK918847.1, MK919081.1), while 2 (MK919199.1, MK919200.1) belong to  Ascaridia nymphii and 2 (MK919207.1, MK919264.1)  belong to Ascaridia numidae. It is the first study in Iraq to diagnosis of  Ascaridia nymphii and Ascaridia numidae  in domesticed pigeons by using conventional PCR.

scholarly journals Impact of Subclinical Haemoproteus columbae Infection on Farmed Domestic Pigeons from Central Java (Yogyakarta), Indonesia, with Special Reference to Changes in the Hemogram

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 440
Author(s):  
Imron Rosyadi ◽  
Siti Isrina Oktavia Salasia ◽  
Bayanzul Argamjav ◽  
Hiroshi Sato
Keyword(s):  
Chronic Phase ◽  
Hypochromic Anemia ◽  
Hemoglobin Concentration ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Nucleotide Sequencing ◽  
Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin ◽  
Haemoproteus Columbae ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Mitochondrial Cytochrome B ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

Pigeon haemoproteosis caused by Haemoproteus columbae (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) is globally prevalent in rock doves (Columba livia), although little is known regarding this disease in pigeons and doves in Indonesia. Blood samples of 35 farmed domestic pigeons (C. livia f. domestica) from four localities in Yogyakarta Special Region, Central Java, Indonesia, were collected from March to June, 2016, subjected to a hemogram, and analyzed for the presence of hemoprotozoan infections. Microscopic examination of blood smears revealed a prevalence of 62.5–100% of H. columbae at the four localities (n = 8–10 for each locality), and geometric means of 3.0–5.6% of erythrocytes were parasitized by young and mature gametocytes, suggesting that all infected pigeons were in the chronic phase of infection with repeated recurrences and/or reinfections. Nucleotide sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb) for haemosporidian species demonstrated the distribution of four major cytb lineages of H. columbae (mainly HAECOL1, accompanied by COLIV03, COQUI05, and CXNEA02 according to the MalAvi database). Hemogram analysis, involving the estimation of packed cell volume, erythrocyte counts, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and plasma protein and fibrinogen levels of 20 parasitized pigeons and five non-infected pigeons demonstrated significant macrocytic hypochromic anemia with hypoproteinemia and hyperfibrinogenemia in the infected pigeons. This study shows the profound impact of long-lasting subclinical pigeon haemoproteosis caused by H. columbae on the health of farmed domestic pigeons.

Association of ADSL gene polymorphisms with meat quality and carcass traits in domestic pigeons (Columba livia)

2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 604-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Mao ◽  
H. Y. Cao ◽  
H. H. Liu ◽  
X. Y. Dong ◽  
N. Y. Xu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Meat Quality ◽  
Gene Polymorphisms ◽  
Carcass Traits ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

Quantitative renal scintigraphy in domestic pigeons (Columba livia domestica) exposed to toxic doses of gentamicin

2003 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kemba L. Marshall ◽  
Linden E. Craig ◽  
Michael P. Jones ◽  
Gregory B. Daniel
Keyword(s):  
Columba Livia ◽  
Renal Scintigraphy ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

Evaluation of a fracture pain model in domestic pigeons (Columba livia)

2012 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 353-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marion Desmarchelier ◽  
Eric Troncy ◽  
Guy Beauchamp ◽  
Joanne R. Paul-Murphy ◽  
Guy Fitzgerald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Columba Livia ◽  
Pain Model ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

scholarly journals Occurrence and antimicrobial susceptibility of Salmonella spp. isolated from domestic pigeons Columba livia var. domestica in 2007-2017 in Poland

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (05) ◽  
pp. 6280-2019
Author(s):  
ALEKSANDRA LEDWOŃ ◽  
MAGDALENA RZEWUSKA ◽  
MICHAŁ CZOPOWICZ ◽  
MAGDALENA KIZERWETTER-ŚWIDA ◽  
DOROTA CHROBAK-CHMIEL ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility ◽  
Columba Livia ◽  
Diffusion Method ◽  
Carrier Status ◽  
Salmonella Spp ◽  
Internal Organs ◽  
Selective Media ◽  
Bacterial Diseases ◽  
Domestic Pigeons

Salmonellosis is one of the most important bacterial diseases in pigeons. The disease occurs in birds of different ages, and long-term Salmonella spp. carrier status is a major problem. The study included 499 samples from live pigeons and internal organs from 265 necropsied birds. The samples were cultured on a standard and selective media. Their antimicrobial susceptibility was carried out by the Kirby-Bauer diffusion method. Thirty one Salmonella spp. isolates were cultured. Most isolates were obtained from the internal organs of dead or euthanised pigeons, and only single isolates were obtained from droppings and cloacal swabs. A total of 4% of the samples tested were positive. The greatest percentage of isolates was susceptible to enrofloxacin (96.3%) and florfenicol (95.7%). Sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim combination was effective against 73.9% of the isolates. Despite the fact of increasing antibiotic resistance of the investigated bacteria, it is comforting that enrofloxacin remains highly effective despite its widespread use in birds.

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