scholarly journals Olfactory kin recognition in a songbird

2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Tobias Krause ◽  
Oliver Krüger ◽  
Philip Kohlmeier ◽  
Barbara A. Caspers
Keyword(s):  
Associative Learning ◽  
Zebra Finch ◽  
Kin Selection ◽  
Kin Recognition ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Inbreeding Avoidance ◽  
Olfactory Cues ◽  
Acoustic Cues ◽  
Close Relatives

The ability to recognize close relatives in order to cooperate or to avoid inbreeding is widespread across all taxa. One accepted mechanism for kin recognition in birds is associative learning of visual or acoustic cues. However, how could individuals ever learn to recognize unfamiliar kin? Here, we provide the first evidence for a novel mechanism of kin recognition in birds. Zebra finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ) fledglings are able to distinguish between kin and non-kin based on olfactory cues alone. Since olfactory cues are likely to be genetically based, this finding establishes a neglected mechanism of kin recognition in birds, particularly in songbirds, with potentially far-reaching consequences for both kin selection and inbreeding avoidance.

scholarly journals Differences in Depredation by Small Predators Limit the Use of Plasticine and Zebra Finch Eggs in Artificial-Nest Studies

The Condor ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 103 (1) ◽  
pp. 180-183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas J. Maier ◽  
Richard M. Degraaf
Keyword(s):  
Small Mammals ◽  
Zebra Finch ◽  
House Sparrow ◽  
Peromyscus Leucopus ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Field Studies ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Artificial Nest ◽  
Neotropical Migrant ◽  
Passerine Species

Abstract Small mammals, such as mice and voles, have been implicated as major egg predators of Neotropical migrant passerines by field studies using soft plasticine eggs or the very small eggs of Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Nevertheless, the effort required to depredate these commonly used egg surrogates may be less than that required to depredate the larger, thicker-shelled eggs of most passerine species. To compare the depredation of these surrogates to that of the eggs of a mid-sized passerine by a ubiquitous small predator, we exposed dissimilar pairs of plasticine, Zebra Finch, and House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) eggs to captive white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Plasticine eggs were marked by mice more than either kind of real egg, and Zebra Finch eggs were breached more often than House Sparrow eggs. We conclude that the use of either plasticine or Zebra Finch eggs may lead to overestimation of the ability or proclivity of small mammals to actually depredate the eggs of most passerines.

scholarly journals A comparison of SNPs and microsatellites as linkage mapping markers: lessons from the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

BMC Genomics ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander D Ball ◽  
Jessica Stapley ◽  
Deborah A Dawson ◽  
Tim R Birkhead ◽  
Terry Burke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Finch ◽  
Linkage Mapping ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata

scholarly journals Identification and characterization of the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) sperm proteome

2019 ◽  
Vol 193 ◽  
pp. 192-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissah Rowe ◽  
Sheri Skerget ◽  
Matthew A. Rosenow ◽  
Timothy L. Karr
Keyword(s):  
Zebra Finch ◽  
Taeniopygia Guttata ◽  
Identification And Characterization
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