Mate Desertion by Primary Female European Starlings at the End of the Nestling Stage

1995 ◽  
Vol 26 (3) ◽  
pp. 267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Eens ◽  
Rianne Pinxten
Keyword(s):  
European Starlings ◽  
Mate Desertion

Response of Male European Starlings To Experimental Removal of Their Mate During Different Stages of the Breeding Cycle

Behaviour ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 132 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 301-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudolf Frans Verheyen ◽  
Marcel Eens ◽  
Rianne Pinxten
Keyword(s):  
Mortality Rate ◽  
Breeding Cycle ◽  
Offspring Survival ◽  
European Starlings ◽  
Female Mate ◽  
Mate Desertion ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Complete Failure ◽  
Stage 1 ◽  
Nestling Mortality

AbstractWe experimentally removed females from monogamous European starling Sturnus vulgaris pairs during different stages of the breeding cycle and recorded the effect of these removals on male behaviour and on offspring survival in order to assess the possibilities for female mate desertion. Removal of the female during the laying, incubation and early nestling stage (1- to 5-day-old nestlings) invariably resulted in complete failure of the brood. The survival of the nestlings improved slightly if the female was removed during the middle nestling stage (6- to 10-day-old nestlings), but mortality rate of nestlings was still significantly higher than in control two-parent broods. About 80% of the males widowed during the laying/incubation period removed all eggs from the nest, while only 49% of all males widowed during the early and middle nestling stage removed all dead nestlings. Removal of eggs/dead nestlings by a widowed male starling probably functions to increase the chance on a successful re-mating, since replacement clutches were found only in nests whereof the clutch/brood was removed. We recorded one definite and at least nine suspected cases of parental infanticide, the killing of own offspring, by experimentally widowed male starlings. After nestlings reached 10 days of age (late nestling stage), there was no longer a significant difference in nestling mortality rate between male-only and two-parent broods. This crucial point coincides with the time when (1) the nestlings are functionally homeothermic, and (2) the exponential growth of the nestlings begins to moderate. Moreover, at this time, late in the season, the only viable option for deserted males is to care for the young because the probability of renesting successfully is low. Our results thus indicate that after nestlings reach 10 days of age, female starlings may have the opportunity to desert their mate. However, at that time, the benefits of female mate desertion are reduced as opportunities for renesting succesfully are low.

Temporal ventriloquism effect in European starlings: Evidence for two parallel processing pathways.

2017 ◽  
Vol 131 (4) ◽  
pp. 337-347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gesa Feenders ◽  
Yoko Kato ◽  
Katharina M. Borzeszkowski ◽  
Georg M. Klump
Keyword(s):  
Parallel Processing ◽  
European Starlings ◽  
Temporal Ventriloquism ◽  
Processing Pathways

Nestling European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) adjust their begging calls in noise

Bioacoustics ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Maheshi E. Dharmasiri ◽  
Colleen A. Barber ◽  
Andrew G. Horn
Keyword(s):  
Sturnus Vulgaris ◽  
European Starlings

scholarly journals Effects of Melatonin on Peripheral Reproductive Function: Regulation of Testicular GnIH and Testosterone

Endocrinology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (9) ◽  
pp. 3461-3470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolette L. McGuire ◽  
Kristina Kangas ◽  
George E. Bentley
Keyword(s):  
Expression Patterns ◽  
Reproductive Function ◽  
Melatonin Receptors ◽  
Sex Steroid ◽  
European Starlings ◽  
Steroid Secretion ◽  
Local Inhibition ◽  
Gonadotropin Inhibitory Hormone ◽  
The Brain

Study of seasonal reproduction has focused on the brain. Here, we show that the inhibition of sex steroid secretion can be seasonally mediated at the level of the gonad. We investigate the direct effects of melatonin on sex steroid secretion and gonadal neuropeptide expression in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). PCR reveals starling gonads express mRNA for gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) and its receptor (GnIHR) and melatonin receptors 1B (Mel 1B) and 1C (Mel 1C). We demonstrate that the gonadal GnIH system is regulated seasonally, possibly via a mechanism involving melatonin. GnIH/ GnIHR expression in the testes is relatively low during breeding compared with outside the breeding season. The expression patterns of Mel 1B and Mel 1C are correlated with this expression, and melatonin up-regulates the expression of GnIH mRNA in starling gonads before breeding. In vitro, GnIH and melatonin significantly decrease testosterone secretion from LH/FSH-stimulated testes before, but not during, breeding. Thus local inhibition of sex steroid secretion appears to be regulated seasonally at the level of the gonad, by a mechanism involving melatonin and the gonadal GnIH system.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document