Corticosterone responses of hand-reared and parent-reared grey-faced petrel chicks (Pterodroma macroptera gouldi)
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.20047.abs Hand-reared grey-faced petrel (Pterodroma macroptera gouldi) chicks (Order Procellariformes) that were subjected to a standardised blood sampling protocol immediately before they fledged showed a reduced corticosterone response compared to parent-raised chicks. Serum corticosterone concentrations were lower in hand-reared than parent-reared birds 30 and 60 min after handling was initiated (21.5±6.7 vs. 105.4±7.4 ng/ml […]
Acoustic convergence between two nocturnal burrowing seabirds- experiments with a penguin Eudyptuh minor and a shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris
The evolution of acoustic signals is influenced by environmental constraints. We studied two sympatric but unrelated seabirds: the Little Penguin Eudyptula minor and Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris, to examine the degree to which similarities in their ecology had led to convergence in their calls. Both species nest in burrows in Southern Australia and, at night, […]
Elevated corticosterone levels and severe weather conditions decrease parental investment of incubating Adélie penguins
Abstract Corticosterone, the main stress hormone in birds, mediates resource allocation, allowing animals to adjust their physiology and behaviour to changes in the environment. Incubation is a time and energy-consuming phase of the avian reproductive cycle. It may be terminated prematurely, when the parents’ energy stores are depleted or when environmental conditions are severe. In […]
Decreased prolactin levels reduce parental commitment, egg temperatures, and breeding success of incubating male Adélie penguins
Hormones regulate many aspects of an individual’s phenotype, including various physiological and behavioral traits. Two hormones have been described as important players in the regulation of parental investment in birds: the glucocorticoid hormone corticosterone and prolactin, a pituitary hormone, widely involved in mediating parental behavior. In comparison with corticosterone, the role of prolactin on parental […]