Behavioral effects of progesterone on pair bonding and partner preference in the female zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Smiley, Kristina O.; Vahaba, Daniel M.; Tomaszycki, Michelle L.

doi:10.1016/j.beproc.2012.01.008

Cited by 35 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…369 In a second study, male and female zebra finches were allowed to pair bond for 2 weeks, and progesterone was administered on the third week. Progesterone facilitated pair bonding behaviors in females who had previously never been paired, however, there was no impact on sexual behaviors or behaviors related to parenting.…”

Section: Pair Bonding In Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mate Selection, Sexual Orientation, and Pair Bonding

Balthazart

Young

2015

Knobil and Neill's Physiology of Reproduction

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Section: Pair Bonding In Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mate Selection, Sexual Orientation, and Pair Bonding

Balthazart

Young

2015

Knobil and Neill's Physiology of Reproduction

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“…Thereafter, the length of observations varied between studies, from 3 days total to 30 days. Pairing status was assessed using an association index, in which a subject was considered paired if more than 50 % ofthe subject's pairing behaviors were with one partner relative to other opposite-sex animals (Mabry,Streatfeild,Keane, & Solomon,2011;Pedersen & Tomaszycki, 2012;Smiley, Vahaba, & Tomaszycki, 2012). Only animals that maintained the same partner throughout the duration of the study were included in the analyses.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Same-Sex Partner Preference in Zebra Finches: Pairing Flexibility and Choice

Tomaszycki

Zatirka

2014

Arch Sex Behav

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This study examined flexibility and choice in same-sex pair-bonding behavior in adult zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Zebra finches form life-long monogamous relationships and extra pair behavior is very low, making them an ideal species in which to study same-sex pairing. We examined same-sex behaviors using both semi-naturalistic choice paradigms and skewed sex ratios. In the first experiment, we allowed zebra finches to pair in aviaries with equal sex ratios as part of multiple experiments. On average, 6.4% (N = 78) of unmanipulated pairs were same-sex: all but one was female-female. In a second experiment, we identified pairs from same-sex cages and selected 20 total same-sex pairs (10 of each sex). We then gave pairs a chance to court and pair with members of the opposite sex and observed their behavior for three days. Females did not retain their partner, but most paired with males. In contrast, some males did retain their partner. Similarly, females were more likely to engage in pairing behaviors with males than with their partners or other females whereas males were equally likely to engage in same-sex and opposite-sex pairing behaviors. These findings suggest that same-sex partnerships in zebra finches can be facultative, based on the sex ratio of the group in which they live, but can also be a choice, when opportunities to pair with opposite-sex individuals are possible. Furthermore, it is possible that females are more flexible in this choice of same-sex partnerships than are males.

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“…Beginning on the first day an aviary was set up, courtship and pairing behavior was observed and recorded for 1hr/day for 10 consecutive days to determine breeding pairs and nest box occupancy (see Smiley et al, 2012 andVahaba et al, 2013 for methods). Pair bonds form quickly (typically 1-3 days; Zann, 1996) and allowing zebra finches to choose a partner and a nest box tends to yield greater reproductive success (Smiley et al, 2012). Each aviary had an assigned observation period, which took place between 0830 and 1100, such that multiple rooms could be observed on the same day.…”

Section: Determining Breeding Pairs and Reproductive Statusmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between prolactin, reproductive experience, and parental care in a biparental songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Smiley

Adkins‐Regan

2016

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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Hormonal systems have long been thought to play an important role in stimulating the onset of parental behavior, a critical component of reproductive success in a variety of taxa. Elevations in the peptide hormone prolactin (PRL) have been repeatedly positively correlated with the onset and maintenance of parental care across vertebrate species. A causal role for PRL in parental care has been established in several mammalian species, but less evidence for a causal role of PRL and parental care exists in birds. The zebra finch, a socially monogamous, biparental songbird, is an exceptionally useful animal model to study parental care and other close social relationships. Both sexes share parental care equally, exhibit the same parental behaviors, and show a marked improvement in breeding success with experience. We hypothesize that PRL is critically involved in the expression of zebra finch parental care and predict that circulating PRL levels will increase with breeding experience. To begin testing this, we measured plasma PRL concentrations in 14 male-female zebra finch pairs (N=28) across two breeding cycles, using a repeated measures design. PRL was measured in the birds' first, reproductively inexperienced, breeding cycle beginning at courtship and extending through chick fledging. PRL was measured again during the birds' second, reproductively experienced, breeding cycle, beginning with egg laying until chick fledging. We found that plasma PRL is significantly elevated from non-breeding concentrations during late incubation and early post-hatch care and that this elevation is greater in the reproductively experienced cycle compared to the inexperienced cycle. Findings of this study will be used to inform hypotheses and predictions for future experimental manipulations of PRL during parental care.

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Behavioral effects of progesterone on pair bonding and partner preference in the female zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

Cited by 35 publications

References 29 publications

Mate Selection, Sexual Orientation, and Pair Bonding

Mate Selection, Sexual Orientation, and Pair Bonding

Same-Sex Partner Preference in Zebra Finches: Pairing Flexibility and Choice

Relationship between prolactin, reproductive experience, and parental care in a biparental songbird, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

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