Territorial Behavior of the White-necked Hawk (Buteogallus lacernulatus) and the Mantled Hawk (Pseudastur polionotus) in Eastern Brazil

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Canuto ◽  
F. Hernan Vargas ◽  
Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo ◽  
Yasmine Antonini
Keyword(s):  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Territorial Behavior ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Eastern Brazil ◽  
Courtship Behaviors ◽  
Courtship Displays

ABSTRACT Studies of territorial and courtship behavior are lacking for many tropical raptors. From 2006 to 2009, using observations that were not time-limited, we studied the territorial and courtship behaviors of the White-necked Hawk (Buteogallus lacernulatus) and the Mantled Hawk (Pseudastur polionotus) in Rio Doce State Park in eastern Brazil. We observed White-necked Hawks and Mantled Hawks engaged in aerial displays on 67 and 13 occasions, respectively. Display behaviors performed by White-necked Hawks were characterized by 1–4 undulations followed by aerial swoops and spirals. Territorial and/or courtship behaviors of Mantled Hawks were characterized by the male and female performing thermal or horizontal gliding together and diving in spirals while frequently emitting a series of long and short whistles. This study presents the first formal descriptions of the aerial territorial/courtship displays of these rare forest-dwelling raptors.

scholarly journals Reduced cooperative behavior as a cost of high testosterone in a lekking passerine bird

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 401-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ben J Vernasco ◽  
Brent M Horton ◽  
Ignacio T Moore ◽  
T Brandt Ryder
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Observational Study ◽  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Cooperative Behavior ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Passerine Bird ◽  
Courtship Display ◽  
Courtship Behaviors ◽  
Pipra Filicauda ◽  
Courtship Displays

Abstract Many studies have identified the reproductive benefits of cooperative behaviors, yet few have identified the mechanisms that underlie these behaviors. Mechanistic studies can inform our understanding of why some individuals are more or less cooperative, as well as identify the physiological constraints imposed upon the evolution of reproductive traits. Male wire-tailed manakins (Pipra filicauda) exhibit cooperative courtship behaviors and more cooperative territory holders have been shown to exhibit higher reproductive success. To begin to understand the proximate basis of cooperative display behaviors, we conducted both an observational study and an experimental study. Because coordinated courtship displays underlie this form of cooperation, our study also examined both the hormonal and social drivers of individual variation in courtship behavior more broadly (e.g., courtship display rates). Our observational study revealed that males with higher testosterone levels performed fewer cooperative display bouts. In addition, our experimental study demonstrated that the proportion of a male’s courtship displays that were cooperative decreased after being administered a testosterone-filled hormone implant. We found no relationship between an individual’s courtship display effort (i.e., display rate and time spent performing courtship displays) and circulating testosterone in either study. However, more cooperative males spent a greater proportion of time performing courtship displays than did less cooperative males, suggesting that testosterone may indirectly mediate courtship display behaviors by influencing a territory holder’s cooperative behavior. Overall, both our observational and experimental results suggest that reduced cooperative behavior is a cost of maintaining high levels of testosterone for territory-holding males.

scholarly journals Spinal Motor and Sensory Neurons Are Androgen Targets in an Acrobatic Bird

Endocrinology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 153 (8) ◽  
pp. 3780-3791 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Fuxjager ◽  
J. Douglas Schultz ◽  
Julia Barske ◽  
Ni Y. Feng ◽  
Leonida Fusani ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spinal Cord ◽  
Sensory Neurons ◽  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Estrogen Receptor Α ◽  
Tropical Species ◽  
Spinal Neurons ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Courtship Activity ◽  
Peripheral Motor

Sex steroids affect the motivation to court mates, but less is known about how they influence motor movements associated with courtship behavior. Steroidal control of motor function may be especially important for species in which courtship requires superior strength, stamina, and neuromuscular coordination. Here we use the golden-collared manakin (Manacus vitellinus) to examine whether the neuromuscular circuitry that controls motoric aspects of courtship activity is sensitive to androgens. Males of this tropical species attract mates by rapidly jumping among branches in a courtship arena and using their wings to produce loud wing snaps. Testosterone activates this display via the androgen receptor (AR), and past work reveals that manakins injected with radio-labeled T (3H-T) accumulate radioactivity in the spinal cord. Thus, we used quantitative PCR to measure AR, estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) subtype, and aromatase (AROM) mRNA in spinal cords of male and female manakins and zebra finches. Expression of AR, but not ER-α or aromatase, was higher throughout the manakin spinal cord compared with the zebra finch. Next, we tested whether AR-expressing skeletal muscles are innervated by motor and sensory neurons that also express AR. To do this, we backfilled spinal neurons by injecting fluorescent tracers into select AR-sensitive wing and leg muscles of wild caught male and female manakins. We then removed these spinal cords and measured AR expression with in situ hybridization. Both sexes showed abundant AR mRNA in the cervical and lumbosacral spinal enlargements as well as in dorsal root ganglia attached to these enlargements. Together our findings suggest that androgens act widely on peripheral motor and sensory circuits in golden-collared manakins to influence wing snapping displays.

scholarly journals Behavioral and morphological evidence of an Allen’s × Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin × S. rufus) hybrid zone in southern Oregon and northern California

The Auk ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 136 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian M Myers ◽  
David T Rankin ◽  
Kevin J Burns ◽  
Christopher J Clark
Keyword(s):  
Hybrid Zone ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Morphological Data ◽  
Morphological Evidence ◽  
Northern California ◽  
Narrow Strip ◽  
Phenotypic Characters ◽  
Rufous Hummingbird ◽  
Courtship Behaviors ◽  
Courtship Displays

Abstract Allen’s (Selasphorus sasin) and Rufous (S. rufus) hummingbird have long been suspected to hybridize, and potentially form a hybrid zone where their ranges overlap in southern Oregon. Migratory Allen’s Hummingbird (S. s. sasin) breeds along a narrow strip of the California coast up to the Oregon border, while Rufous Hummingbird breeds from southern Oregon to Alaska. Analysis of behavioral and morphological data for 183 males and morphological data from 138 females showed that Allen’s and Rufous hummingbird form a hybrid zone in southern Oregon and northern California. Linear discriminant function analysis and cline analysis of 20 phenotypic characters for males and 9 phenotypic characters for females suggested the center of the coastal transect of this north–south hybrid zone spanned from Bandon, Oregon (Coos County), to Port Orford, Oregon (Curry County). The contact zone extended north into the breeding range of Rufous (into Florence, Lane County, Oregon) and south into the range of Allen’s (into Arcata, Humboldt County, California). Sporadic inland sampling suggested the hybrid zone extended at least 94 km inland from the coast. Behavioral data included courtship displays, which were composed of discrete, modular, behavioral elements. Sexual selection acted on these courtship displays, as behavioral clines related to courtship behaviors were more narrow than morphological clines. Some of the courtship behaviors analyzed included previously undescribed diagnostic behavioral characters for Allen’s and Rufous hummingbird.

scholarly journals Couples showing off: Audience promotes both male and female multimodal courtship display in a songbird

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (10) ◽  
pp. eaat4779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nao Ota ◽  
Manfred Gahr ◽  
Masayo Soma
Keyword(s):  
Animal Communication ◽  
Private Communication ◽  
Social Environments ◽  
Audience Effect ◽  
Courtship Display ◽  
Mating Status ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Socially Monogamous ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Courtship Displays

Social environments can shape animal communication. Although mutual courtship displays are generally thought to function in private communication between a male and a female, we provide experimental evidence that they work in a broader social context than previously thought. We examined the audience effect on mutual courtship in blue-capped cordon-bleus, a socially monogamous songbird. This species is characterized by conspicuous courtship shared between sexes: Both sexes sing songs and sometimes add a unique dance display that looks like human tap dancing. We found that in both sexes, multimodal courtship displays (song accompanied by dance) were promoted in the presence of an audience, especially if it was the opposite sex. In contrast, unimodal displays (song without dance) were suppressed by audiences. Because birds directed the courtship dancing toward their partners (but not the audience), multimodal courtship displays are likely meant to advertise their current mating status to other cordon-bleus.

scholarly journals Reproductive biology of a bromeligenous frog endemic to the Atlantic Forest: Aparasphenodon arapapa Pimenta, Napoli and Haddad, 2009 (Anura: Hylidae)

2014 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 867-880 ◽  
Author(s):  
AMANDA S.F. LANTYER-SILVA ◽  
MIRCO SOLÉ ◽  
JULIANA ZINA
Keyword(s):  
South America ◽  
Parental Care ◽  
Reproductive Biology ◽  
Atlantic Forest ◽  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Reproductive Mode ◽  
Breeding Site ◽  
Male And Female

The genus Aparasphenodon is restricted to South America and comprises five poorly studied species which present a straight relationship with bromeliads. Herein we present the reproductive biology of the species Aparasphenodon arapapa. Our observations indicate that A. arapapa is a prolonged breeder, reproducing throughout the year using bromeliads as a calling and breeding site. The tadpoles complete their development inside those plants. Males, females and juveniles may also use the bromeliads as a shelter. We also describe the courtship behavior and the parental care of the species with an evidence of temporary fidelity between male and female and propose a new reproductive mode.

scholarly journals Post-mating Refractoriness in Drosophila melanogaster Depends Upon Ecdysis Triggering Hormone Signaling

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew R Meiselman ◽  
Michael E. Adams ◽  
Anindya Ganguly ◽  
Anupama Dahanukar
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Corpus Allatum ◽  
Hormone Signaling ◽  
Male Courtship ◽  
Hormone Analog ◽  
Sensory Modalities ◽  
Courtship Behaviors ◽  
Ecdysis Triggering Hormone ◽  
Male Courtship Behavior

The decision to engage in courtship depends on external cues from potential mates and internal cues related to maturation, health, and experience. Hormones allow such information to be conveyed to distal tissues in a coordinated fashion. Here, we show Ecdysis-Triggering Hormone (ETH) is a regulator of male courtship in Drosophila melanogaster, and critical for mate choice and courtship inhibition after the completion of copulation. Preventing ETH release increases male-male courtship and decreases post-copulation courtship inhibition (PCCI). Such aberrant male courtship behavior in ETH-deficient males appears to be the consequence of inabilityto integrate pheromone cues into decision making. Silencing of ETH receptor (ETHR) in GR32A-expressing neurons leads to reduced ligand sensitivity and elevated male-male courtship. We find OR67D is critical for suppression of courtship after mating, and ETHR silencing in OR67D-expressing neurons, and GR32A-expressing neurons to a lesser degree, elevates post-copulation courtship. Finally, ETHR silencing in the corpus allatum increases post-copulation courtship; treatment of with juvenile hormone analog partially restores normal post-mating behavior. ETH, a stress-sensitive reproductive hormone, appears to coordinate multiple sensory modalities to guide Drosophila male courtship behaviors, especially after mating.

scholarly journals Male Sexual Preference for Female Swimming Activity in the Guppy (Poecilia reticulata)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Bierbach ◽  
Ronja Wenchel ◽  
Stefan Gehrig ◽  
Serafina Wersing ◽  
Olivia L. O’Connor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mate Choice ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Poecilia Reticulata ◽  
Swimming Activity ◽  
Choice Test ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Male Preference ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Female Quality ◽  
Courtship Displays

Mate choice that is based on behavioural traits is a common feature in the animal kingdom. Using the Trinidadian guppy, a species with mutual mate choice, we investigated whether males use female swimming activity – a behavioural trait known to differ consistently among individuals in many species – as a trait relevant for their mate choice. In a first experiment, we assessed male and female activity in an open field test alone (two repeated measures) and afterwards in heterosexual pairs (two repeated measures). In these pairs, we simultaneously assessed males’ mating efforts by counting number of sexual behaviours (courtship displays and copulation). Male and female guppies showed consistent individual differences in their swimming activity when tested both alone and in a pair, and these differences were maintained across both test situations. When controlling for male swimming behaviour and both male and female body size, males performed more courtship displays towards females with higher swimming activity. In a second experiment, we tested for a directional male preference for swimming activity by presenting males video animations of low and high active females in a dichotomous choice test. In congruence with experiment 1, we found males to spend significantly more time in association with the high active female stimulus. Both experiments thus point towards a directional male preference for higher activity levels in females. We discuss the adaptive significance of this preference as activity patterns might indicate individual female quality, health or reproductive state while, mechanistically, females that are more active might be more detectable to males as well.

Initial Courtship Behavior and Stalking: How Should We Draw the Line?

2000 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Colleen Sinclair ◽  
Irene Hanson Frieze
Keyword(s):  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Violent Behavior ◽  
Verbal Abuse ◽  
The Self ◽  
Factor Analyses ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
University Of Pittsburgh ◽  
Rejection Factor ◽  
Courtship Behaviors ◽  
The University

As noted by Schaum and Parrish (1995), stalking blurs the boundaries between normal courtship and obsessive behavior. Consequently, stalking proves an elusive phenomenon to define and to study. Where does courtship end and stalking begin? To address this question, 197 women and 44 men from the University of Pittsburgh who had loved someone who did not love them in return were surveyed about their feelings and actions in response to this rejection. Factor analyses revealed six groupings of behaviors in response to unrequited courtship: approach, surveillance, intimidation, harming oneself, verbal abuse/mild physical harm, and extreme physical harm. Approach behavior was reported to be used more often by men, but there were no significant differences between men and women in the self-reported prevalence of other types of courtship behaviors. Correlations reveal that feelings of anger and depression were the most common predictors of violent behavior for both men and women. Pursuer-perceptions of what behaviors connoted “going too far” in pursuit of a relationship proved unreliable. However, when pursuers were asked whether their love interest was afraid of them, fear was a reaction perceived in response to intimidation. Although it is likely that pursuer perceptions of where to draw the line would differ from the view of the love object, these results suggest that engaging in intimidation would be an appropriate place to draw the line between courtship and stalking.

Stimulation of courtship displays in ring-billed gulls using playback of vocalizations

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 1017-1019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Fetterolf ◽  
David W. Dunham
Keyword(s):  
Specific Response ◽  
Larus Delawarensis ◽  
Opposite Sex ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Courtship Behaviors ◽  
Courtship Displays ◽  
Stimulation Of

The playback of vocalizations associated with visual courtship displays of ring-billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) stimulated courtship behaviors. Males and females responded more strongly to playback calls of their own sex than to playback calls of the opposite sex. This sex-specific response may be related to the reduction of interference with copulation.

SEXUAL SELECTION AND THE EVOLUTION OF DANCE FLY MATING SYSTEMS (DIPTERA: EMPIDIDAE; EMPIDINAE)

1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (3) ◽  
pp. 907-920 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.M. Cumming
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Selection ◽  
Mating Systems ◽  
Courtship Behavior ◽  
Sex Role ◽  
Male Fitness ◽  
Male Choice ◽  
Nuptial Gifts ◽  
Sexual Selection Theory ◽  
Courtship Displays ◽  
Dance Fly

AbstractCourtship displays of empidine dance flies (Diptera: Empididae), which include transfers of nuptial gifts during mating, are reviewed in light of sexual selection theory. Sex-role reversed courtship behavior, involving female swarming and male choice, appears to be correlated with certain female secondary sexual characters that are widespread throughout the Empidinae. The tendency to shift mate choice from females to males, and the apparent development of autogeny in many empidine species, are both hypothesized to have resulted from males monopolizing the proteinaceous food source of non-hunting females, through transfers of nuptial gifts of prey. The autogenous condition appears to have led to the ritualized presentation of various types of inedible nuptial gifts by males of several species, possibly including the development of secreted nuptial gifts, or balloons, as displays of male fitness.

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