Risk-taking coping style correlates with SERT SNP290 polymorphisms in free-living great tits

Abstract

The coping style of an individual in relation to potentially dangerous situations has been suggested to be inherited in a polygenic fashion, being SERT one of the candidate genes. In this paper, we assessed in free-living great tits Parus major the association between SNP290 in the SERT promoter and three standard fear-related behaviors, namely the response of the birds to a black and white flag fixed to the top of the nest-box, distress calling rate of the birds in the hand once captured and the hissing call of incubating females when approached by a predator. We found a strong association between SNP290 polymorphism and the three risk-taking behaviors, with birds with genotype CT entering faster to the nest box with the flag and displaying more distress calls and less hissing calls. CT birds could therefore be described as more proactive than CC individuals. These results also suggest that hissing behavior should be regarded as a fear-induced shy behavior, and confirm that SERT has an important function in relation to risk aversion behaviors and coping style.

Molecular biology of serotonergic systems in avian brains

“…In addition, there are also interesting examples of association studies combining the genotyping of SERT polymorphisms and ecological observations as well as behavioral tests in wild birds. Several SERT polymorphisms have been associated with behavioral traits, such as the performance of novel object tests and urban or rural habitat differences in great tits ( Parus major ) ( Riyahi et al, 2015 , 2022 ; Timm et al, 2018 , 2019 ; Grunst et al, 2021 ; Thys et al, 2021 ), blackbirds ( Turdus erula ) ( Müller et al, 2013 ), and dunnocks ( Prunella modularis ) ( Holtmann et al, 2016 ), and have been linked to animal personalities such as boldness and aggression ( Table 1 ). However, associations between SERT polymorphisms and behavioral traits have not always yielded consistent results across birds and populations.…”

The Use of Nest Boxes in Malaysia: Design and the Potential for Research and In-situ Conservation of Birds

“…To either achieve the goal of population expansion or improve the research of these birds, nest boxes have been used to act as artificial nest cavities to attract these birds (Lambrechts et al, 2012). These secondary cavity-nesting birds may range from certain passerines (Cooper & Bonter, 2008;Gelter & Tegelström, 1992;Hanmer et al, 2017;Hudin et al, 2017;Miller, 2002;Riyahi et al, 2022;Zhang et al, 2021) and non-passerines especially raptors (Calabrese et al, 2020;Geduhn et al, 2016;Liébana & Sarasola, 2013;Raid, 2012;Rejt, 2001;Richards et al, 2004;Zárybnická et al, 2016), parrots (Olah et al, 2014;Ortiz-Catedral & Brunton, 2009;Wimberger et al, 2017), hornbills (Cremades et al, 2011;Pasuwan et al, 2011), and waterfowls (Davis et al, 2007;Gong et al, 2018).…”

“…The use of nest boxes has contributed to a wide range of research topics varying from breeding ecology (Arct et al, 2022;Beasley & Parrish, 2009;Davis et al, 2007;Hanmer et al, 2017;Mainwaring et al, 2015;Palko et al, 2011), feeding ecology (Balčiauskienė et al, 2005;Hudin et al, 2017;Rejt, 2001), nest site preference (Cooper & Bonter, 2008;Hanmer et al, 2017;Miller, 2002;Olah et al, 2014;Ortiz-Catedral & Brunton, 2009), conspecific and heterospecific interactions (Gong et al, 2018;Zárybnická et al, 2016), as well as occupancy rate (Liébana & Sarasola, 2013;Sudarmaji et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2021). Additionally, some studies retrieved nestlings, breeding pairs, or even nest materials from nest boxes to assess the presence of ectoparasites (Hanmer et al, 2017;Proudfoot et al, 2006;Soltész et al, 2018) and the effect of rodenticide exposure (Richards et al, 2004;Geduhn et al, 2016), as well as for population genetic studies (Gelter & Tegelström, 1992;Riyahi et al, 2022). Otherwise, nest boxes may be solely deployed for conservation purposes to increase local bird populations (Calabrese et al, 2020;Cremades & Ng, 2012;Pasuwan et al, 2011).…”

“…For decades, studies using nest boxes were frequently done in the temperate region (Arct et al, 2022;Calabrese et al, 2020;Cooper & Bonter, 2008;Gelter & Tegelström, 1992;Gong et al, 2018;Hudin et al, 2017;Liébana & Sarasola, 2013;Ortiz-Catedral & Brunton, 2009;Raid, 2012;Rejt, 2001;Riyahi et al, 2022;Soltész et al, 2018;Zhang et al, 2021), with fewer studies conducted in the subtropic (Miller, 2002;Davis et al, 2007;Wimberger et al, 2017) and tropical regions (Cremades et al, 2011;Palko et al, 2011;Pasuwan et al, 2011;Olah et al, 2014;Sudarmaji et al, 2021). The implementation of nest boxes in the Southeast Asian region is still relatively new, apart from provisioning nest boxes for barn owls (Tyto alba javanica) to encourage the local population to breed and control the rodents in agricultural areas (Adidharma, 2002;Sipayung, 1992).…”