Control of the Bill Color of the Male English Sparrow by Injection of Male Hormone.

Keck, Warren N.

doi:10.3181/00379727-30-6825

Cited by 13 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…To indirectly examine the predicted effect of treatment on hormone levels and thus provide a mecha-nistic explanation for the changes in badge size, in 1 yr, we measured bill colour once during moult as an indicator of average testosterone levels (Keck 1933;Witschi 1936;Pfeiffer et al 1944;Laucht et al 2010). We found that males with smaller badges in the uniform treatment had darker bills, suggesting they had higher testosterone levels, and males with larger badges had paler bills and thus lower testosterone levels.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In addition, male House Sparrows possess a range of ornaments of which the size of the black breast bib or badge has been widely studied and is commonly accepted as a badge of status (Møller 1987a,b;Veiga 1995;Hein et al 2003). In addition, males possess a second ornament, bill colour, which changes from horn to black between the non-breeding and breeding season and can be used as a dynamic indicator of a 'running average' of recent testosterone levels (Keck 1933;Witschi 1936;Pfeiffer et al 1944;Laucht et al 2010). In addition, males possess a second ornament, bill colour, which changes from horn to black between the non-breeding and breeding season and can be used as a dynamic indicator of a 'running average' of recent testosterone levels (Keck 1933;Witschi 1936;Pfeiffer et al 1944;Laucht et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Across various studies, badge size has been found to correlate with overall fighting success (Møller 1987b;Liker & Barta 2001;McGraw et al 2003;Bó kony et al 2006;Morrison et al 2008), age (Veiga 1993;Morrison et al 2008) and testosterone levels (Evans et al 2000;Buchanan et al 2001;Gonzalez et al 2001;Laucht et al 2011). In addition, males possess a second ornament, bill colour, which changes from horn to black between the non-breeding and breeding season and can be used as a dynamic indicator of a 'running average' of recent testosterone levels (Keck 1933;Witschi 1936;Pfeiffer et al 1944;Laucht et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of Badges of Status in Captive Male House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Relation to the Relative Ornamentation of Flock‐Mates

Laucht

Dale

2012

Ethology

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The development of quality signals is expected to be largely influenced by environmental conditions among which the social environment could be an important factor, particularly in gregarious animals. Here, we investigated the role of the presumed social environment on the development of badge size in moulting male House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) over a 3‐yr time span. House Sparrow badges are testosterone‐dependent ornaments that are typically argued to be ‘badges of status’ –that is, signals of competitive ability and aggression. Immediately prior to moult, we created several groups of males, either with similarly sized badges or with badges of different sizes, and we measured each male's badge size before and after moult. The former groups were presumed to have a less clear social hierarchy than the latter groups because of group members advertising relatively similar competitive ability (and thus were expected to more frequently challenge one another in order to establish dominance). Conversely, the latter groups were presumed to have relatively higher social stability because birds would less frequently encounter rivals advertising similar agonistic threat. We predicted in groups of birds with similarly sized badges, both (1) larger changes (i.e. increases or decreases) in badge sizes and (2) higher increases in between‐individual variation within groups. The first prediction was supported in one of the 3 yrs, but there was no support for the second prediction in any year. We conclude that social environment has an effect on the development of badges of status, but that it is highly contingent on the specific nature and timing of group interactions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Development of Badges of Status in Captive Male House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Relation to the Relative Ornamentation of Flock‐Mates

Laucht

Dale

2012

Ethology

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“…The black pigmentation of the beak of the House Sparrow has long been regarded as an androgen-dependent secondary sexual characteristic, and has even been quoted as a reliable bio-assay technique for the estimation of androgenic hormones (Keck 1932, 1933, 1934, Witschi 1955. However, purified testosterone propionate injected into House Sparrows during the post-refractory period in November failed to cause changes in beak pigmentation.…”

Section: Secondary Sexual Characteristicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

An Investigation of Photo‐refractoriness in the House Sparrow by Artificial Photoperiods

Murton

Westwood

1974

Ibis

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Summary The natural testis cycle and associated changes in bill colour of the House Sparrow Passer domesticus are described. Subjects were wild‐caught at three different times in the breeding cycles:in February when the testes were small and contained only spermatogonia, in May when they were fully recrudesced and contained bunches of spermatozoa and in late July at a time when spontaneous gonad regression was occurring as the birds entered their photo‐refractory phase. Each sample was divided into eight separate groups which were given a range of artificial asymmetric skeleton photo‐periods generalized as LD 6 +1/2:131/2; the 1/2‐h light pulse was given at a different point in the dark period in each group. The birds entrained to skeleton schedules simulating complete photoperiods of up to 12 h duration as if the start of the long light pulse was dawn. However, with long‐day simulations (e.g. 6L 111/2 D 1/2 L 6D which simulates an 18 h photoperiod) the birds entrained to the start of the short light pulse to give an effective photoperiod of 121/2 h (that is, 1/2L 6D 6L 111/2D). The skeleton schedules simulating 14 h and 16 h were interpreted as such in February and were not effective in causing testicular induction, but they were apparently read as days of 161/2 h and 141/2 h in May, and as such maintained active spermatogenesis. The differences are discussed in terms of the changed frequency of a circadian oscillator. When birds captured in July were held on the various skeleton light schedules refractoriness was ended for most the subjects, as was proved by subsequently exposing them to a complete 16‐h photoperiod. Exceptions were the birds in the group given the 14‐h simulation, for these entrained as they had in May and so were effectively receiving a long 161/2‐h day. The discussion presents evidence to show that photoperiods in excess of 14 h cause the light sensitive phase of a circadian oscillator responsible for luteinizing hormone secretion to be phased into the non‐inductive period of darkness. Rehabilitation of the interstitial components of the testis is apparently inhibited in such circumstances.

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“…In House Sparrows, the area of the black bib is enlarged by testosterone during molt (Gonzalez et al 1999, Evans et al 2000, Gonzalez et al 2001, but whether the ratio of the two types of melanins is affected is not known. Also in House Sparrows, testosterone enhances bill color, with higher levels of testosterone producing a blacker bill (Keck 1933, Haase 1975). There is an opposite effect of testosterone in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), with higher levels of testosterone inhibiting melanin deposition in the bill and favoring carotenoid deposition (Witschi and Miller 1938).…”

Section: Melanin Ornaments As Honest Indicatorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Melanin Ornaments, Honesty, and Sexual Selection

Breitwisch¹

2003

The Auk

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Control of the Bill Color of the Male English Sparrow by Injection of Male Hormone.

Cited by 13 publications

References 0 publications

Development of Badges of Status in Captive Male House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Relation to the Relative Ornamentation of Flock‐Mates

Development of Badges of Status in Captive Male House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Relation to the Relative Ornamentation of Flock‐Mates

An Investigation of Photo‐refractoriness in the House Sparrow by Artificial Photoperiods

Melanin Ornaments, Honesty, and Sexual Selection

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