The Influence of Nest Building and Egg Laying Behavior on Clutch Size in Renests of the Willow Flycatcher

Bird-Banding ◽  
1974 ◽  
Vol 45 (4) ◽  
pp. 320 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry C. Holcomb
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Willow Flycatcher

scholarly journals Reproductive suppression in female cooperatively breeding cichlids

2008 ◽  
Vol 4 (6) ◽  
pp. 606-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dik Heg
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Alloparental Care ◽  
Large Female ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Small Female ◽  
Reproductive Suppression ◽  
Cooperatively Breeding ◽  
Female Subordinate

Suppression by dominants of female subordinate reproduction has been found in many vertebrate social groups, but has rarely been shown experimentally. Here experimental evidence is provided for reproductive suppression in the group-living Lake Tanganyika cichlid Neolamprologus pulcher . Within groups of three unrelated females, suppression was due to medium- and small-sized females laying less frequently compared with large females, and compared with medium females in control pairs. Clutch size and average egg mass of all females depended on body size, but not on rank. In a second step, a large female was removed from the group and a very small female was added to keep the group size constant. The medium females immediately seized the dominant breeding position in the group and started to reproduce as frequently as control pairs, whereas clutch size and egg mass did not change. These results show that female subordinate cichlids are reproductively capable, but apparently suppressed with respect to egg laying. Nevertheless, some reproduction is tolerated, possibly to ensure continued alloparental care by subordinate females.

Annual variation in common eider egg size: effects of temperature, clutch size, laying date, and laying sequence

1995 ◽  
Vol 73 (9) ◽  
pp. 1579-1587 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory J. Robertson
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Annual Variation ◽  
Size Variation ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Somateria Mollissima ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Common Eiders ◽  
N 93

Annual variation in volumes of eggs laid by common eiders (Somateria mollissima sedentaria) nesting at La Pérouse Bay, Manitoba (58°43′N, 93°27′W), was studied over 3 years (1991–1993). Temperatures during the egg-laying period were higher in 1991 than in 1992 and 1993. However, the eiders began nesting in 1993 at the same time as in 1991, whereas in 1992 the eiders began laying approximately 2 weeks later. Eiders laid significantly smaller clutches in 1992 than in the other 2 years. Egg size did not correlate with clutch size or laying date in any year. However, eiders laid smaller eggs in 1992 and 1993 than in 1991. In five egg clutches, the pattern of intraclutch egg-size variation was different among years. The last laid eggs of five egg clutches were disproportionately smaller in 1992 and 1993 (cold years) than those laid in 1991. Minimum daily temperatures before the egg-laying period (during rapid yolk development) were positively correlated with egg size. However, this effect was not significant when year and egg sequence were controlled for. Egg-size variation was correlated with the overall ambient temperatures during the laying period, whereas annual clutch-size variation was correlated with laying date, suggesting that the proximate mechanisms affecting clutch and egg size are different.

Physiological maturation and reproductive behaviour of female doves (Streptopelia risoria) held under long and short photoperiods

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. R. Liley
Keyword(s):  
Nest Site ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Short Photoperiod ◽  
Courtship Behaviour ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Streptopelia Risoria ◽  
Long Photoperiod

Female doves were held under long (16 h per day), or short (8 h per day) photoperiod and exposed to actively courting males for 4.5 h per day for 15 days. The occurrence of egg laying and nest building was recorded daily. Behavioural observations were recorded for 15 min on alternate days.Seven out of eight long-photoperiod females laid eggs, whereas only one of nine short-photoperiod females began egg laying. Soliciting by the female and nest building involving male and female are the best indicators of a female's readiness to begin breeding. The occurrence of these activities is correlated with the growth of follicles and oviduct. Copulation and associated behaviours are not correlated with follicle and oviduct growth, and appear to be controlled by factors different from those governing courtship behaviour associated with the nest site.

The role of estrogen and progesterone in the regulation of reproductive behaviour in female ring doves (Streptopelia risoria) under long vs. short photoperiods

1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1409-1422 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. R. Liley
Keyword(s):  
Hormone Treatment ◽  
Reproductive Behaviour ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Short Photoperiod ◽  
Streptopelia Risoria ◽  
Ring Doves ◽  
Long Photoperiod ◽  
Marked Tendency

Female ring doves held under long (16 h per day) or short (8 h per day) photoperiods were treated daily for 15 days with saline, estrogen, or progesterone, alone or in combination. Seven days after the start of hormone therapy females were placed with reproductively active males for 4 h per day for 9 days. There was no difference in egg-laying, courtship, and nest-building by control birds under the two photoregimes.Ovarian follicles remained small in all birds receiving hormone treatment. Oviducts of birds receiving progesterone alone remained small in the short-photoperiod group, but at long photoperiods oviducts became enlarged. Estrogen stimulated oviduct growth at both photoperiods. The combined hormone treatment resulted in considerably greater oviduct development than estrogen alone, and in this case the oviducts of birds under long photoperiod were significantly heavier than those of short-photoperiod birds.Female soliciting and nest-building activity remained low in progesterone-treated females under short photoperiod, but increased rapidly under long photoperiod. Birds treated with estrogen and estrogen and progesterone performed considerable soliciting and nest-building. There was a marked tendency for birds under long-photoperiod conditions to be more active in nest-oriented behaviour. Copulatory behaviour by the female (begging and sexual crouch) occurred infrequently in all hormone-treated birds.

scholarly journals Reproductive traits of the gray ratsnake Ptyas korros from three geographically distinct populations

2012 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 820-827 ◽  
Author(s):  
Long-Hui Lin ◽  
Fei Mao ◽  
Ce Chen ◽  
Xiang Ji
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Egg Size ◽  
Reproductive Output ◽  
Reproductive Traits ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Laying Date ◽  
Egg Mass ◽  
Size Number ◽  
Female Reproductive Traits ◽  
Clutch Mass

Abstract We collected gravid gray rat snakes Ptyas korros from three geographically distinct populations in China, Chenzhou (CZ), Jiangshan (JS) and Dinghai (DH), to study geographical variation in female reproductive traits. Egg-laying dates differed among the three populations such that at the most northern latitude egg-laying was latest, and earliest at the most southern lati-tutde. Clutch size, clutch mass, egg mass, egg shape, within clutch variability in egg sizes and relative clutch mass differed among the three populations, whereas post-oviposition body mass did not. Except for egg-laying date, none of the traits examined varied in a geographically continuous trend. CZ and DH females, although separated by a distance of approximately 1100 km as the crow flies, were similar in nearly all traits examined. JS females were distinguished from CZ and DH females by their higher fecundity (clutch size), greater reproductive output (clutch mass) and more rounded eggs. Our data do not validate the prediction that larger offspring should be produced in colder localities. The absence of an egg size-number trade-off in each of the three populations presumably suggests that P. korros is among species where eggs are well optimized for size within a population.

Behavioural and body mass changes before egg laying in the Barn Owl: cues for clutch size determination?

2009 ◽  
Vol 151 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joël M. Durant ◽  
Jean-Paul Gendner ◽  
Yves Handrich
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Barn Owl ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Size Determination ◽  
Body Mass Changes

scholarly journals Lower pollen nutritional quality delays nest building and egg laying in Bombus terrestris audax micro-colonies leading to reduced biomass gain

Apidologie ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan T. Ryder ◽  
Andrew Cherrill ◽  
Helen M. Thompson ◽  
Keith F. A. Walters
Keyword(s):  
Bombus Terrestris ◽  
Essential Amino Acids ◽  
Egg Laying ◽  
Nest Building ◽  
Colony Development ◽  
Total Biomass ◽  
Brood Production ◽  
Pollen Species ◽  
Colony Performance ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractThe performance of Bombus terrestris micro-colonies fed five diets differing in pollen species composition and level of nine essential amino acids (EAA; leucine, lysine, valine, arginine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, threonine, histidine, methionine) was assessed for 37 days by recording total biomass gain, nest building initiation, brood production (eggs, small and large larvae, pupae, drones), nectar, and pollen collection. Stronger colony performance was linked to higher amino acid levels but no consistent differences in biomass gain were recorded between mono- and poly-species diets. Poorest performance occurred in micro-colonies offered pure oilseed rape (OSR) pollen which contained the lowest EAA levels. Reduced micro-colony development (delayed nest initiation and lower brood production) was related to OSR proportion in the diet and lower EAA levels. Results are discussed in relation to selection of plant species in the design of habitats to promote bee populations.

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