Sexual display complexity varies non-linearly with age and predicts breeding status in greater flamingos

Charlotte Perrot; Arnaud Béchet; Céline Hanzen; Antoine Arnaud; Roger Pradel; Frank Cézilly

doi:10.1038/srep36242

Sexual Display and Mate Choice in an Energetically Costly Environment

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0015279 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (12) ◽

pp. e15279 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Megan L. Head ◽

Bob B. M. Wong ◽

Robert Brooks

Keyword(s):

Mate Choice ◽

Sexual Display

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The Effect of Extensive Human Presence at an Early Age on Stress Responses and Reactivity of Juvenile Ostriches towards Humans

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani8100175 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (10) ◽

pp. 175 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Pfunzo Muvhali ◽

Maud Bonato ◽

Anel Engelbrecht ◽

Irek Malecki ◽

Denise Hough ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Stress Responses ◽

Acute Stress ◽

Physiological Stress ◽

Visual Stimuli ◽

Stress Sensitivity ◽

Physical Contact ◽

Early Age ◽

Human Presence ◽

Human Voice ◽

Sexual Display

The effect of extensive human presence and regular gentle handling performed at an early age (0–3 months old) on stress responses and reactivity of juvenile ostriches towards humans was investigated. A total of 416 ostrich chicks over two years were exposed to one of three treatments for three months after hatching; namely, Human Presence 1 (HP1, N = 144): extensive/prolonged human presence with physical contact (touch, stroking), gentle human voice, and visual stimuli; Human Presence 2 (HP2, N = 136): extensive/prolonged human presence without physical contact, but with gentle human voice and visual stimuli; and the Standard treatment (S, N = 136): human presence limited to routine feed and water supply as a control. At 7.5 months of age, the plasma heterophil/lymphocyte (H/L) ratio was measured before and 72 h after feather harvesting and feather clipping to determine acute stress responses, while chronic stress was measured by quantification of corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in the floss feathers of the birds. Birds’ behavioural response towards a familiar or an unfamiliar handler was evaluated at 12 months using docility and fear tests, and through behavioural observations conducted on random days between the ages of 8–13 months. Willingness to approach, and to allow touch interactions, aggressiveness, and exhibition of sexual display towards the handler, was recorded. No difference in the H/L ratios before and after feather harvesting and clipping was observed in HP1 birds, whereas H/L ratios showed a significant increase 72 h post feather harvesting and clipping in HP2 and S birds (p < 0.05). Birds from the S treatment exhibited a significantly (p < 0.05) higher feather CORT concentration compared with HP1 birds, while HP2 birds had intermediate responses. Birds’ reactivity towards humans and temperament as evaluated using behavioural observations, docility, and fear tests was not affected by treatment (p > 0.05). However, HP1 and HP2 birds were more inclined (p < 0.05) to approach a familiar rather than an unfamiliar handler during the behavioural observations, indicating an ability to distinguish between a familiar and an unfamiliar handler. Overall, the results indicate that early gentle human interactions with ostrich chicks can be beneficial in reducing physiological stress sensitivity later in life and facilitate the ability of ostriches to distinguish between familiar and unfamiliar handlers.

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All signals are not equal: acoustic signalling of individuality, sex and breeding status in a cooperative breeder

Animal Behaviour ◽

10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.05.007 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 93 ◽

pp. 249-260 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Miyako H. Warrington ◽

Paul G. McDonald ◽

Lee Ann Rollins ◽

Simon C. Griffith

Keyword(s):

Breeding Status

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Antiparasitic Effects of Plant Species from the Diet of Great Bustards

10.21203/rs.3.rs-122399/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Paula Bolívar ◽

Luis M. Bautista ◽

María Teresa Gómez ◽

Rafael A. Martínez ◽

María Fe Andrés ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mating Season ◽

Self Medication ◽

Trichomonas Gallinae ◽

Aerial Parts ◽

Sexual Display ◽

Trade Offs ◽

Parasitic Activity ◽

Polar Extracts ◽

Laboratory Models

Abstract Background: Diets combine food types according to some trade-offs, as for example maximising nutrients and minimising toxins. But some diets include elements because of their activity against the host parasites and other pathogens. This so-called medicinal role of food is under-reported in the literature, either because toxic elements in diets of livestock and wildlife are infrequent, or because their activity against parasites and pathogens has not been fully documented. We contribute to fill this knowledge gap by testing the activity of extracts and essential oils from Papaver rhoeas and Echium plantagineum against a selection of laboratory pathogens. These plants are strongly selected by great bustards Otis tarda during the mating season. Results: During this season we found a significantly higher frequency of P. rhoeas in male than in female faeces. The activity of different extracts of these plants against some laboratory models including a flagellated protozoan (Trichomonas gallinae), a nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) and a fungus (Aspergillus niger) was evaluated. We found activity against nematodes and trichomonads in non-polar and polar extracts of the aerial parts of P. rhoeas, especially the extracts of flowers and capsules, and E. plantagineum, especially the extracts of leaves and flowers.Conclusions: Both plants showed anti-parasitic activity, a result compatible with the hypothesis that great bustards eat plants for non-nutritional purposes, likely to assist them in coping with parasites and other pathogens, and P. rhoeas could be especially helpful for males during the mating season, when their immune system is weakened by the investment in secondary sexual characters and sexual display. The self-medication properties of plants and animals included in diets should be considered in studies of foraging behaviour, habitat selection, and even conservation biology of wildlife.

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