“鸟类的筑巢、孵卵和育雏”一节教案

教材和教法研究上节课“鸟类的多样性”是讲鸟类在生活习性和形态结构上的多样性。从这节课开始,是讲鸟类行为的多样性和复杂性、例如鸟类的筑巢、孵卵和育雏、鸟类的迁徙等。教材的主线是——鸟类的繁殖比爬行动物完善而复杂(课本第169页)。所以,本节教材的安排是:通过鸟类筑巢、孵卵和育雏等行为的介绍,指出鸟类比鱼类、两栖类和爬行类动物的繁育后代要优越得     

四川南充地区白鸰的繁殖习性

2004年2～5月在四川省南充市嘉陵江中上游的河漫滩内对白鹡鸰(Motacilla alba)的繁殖习性进行了研究.结果表明白鹡鸰2月开始繁殖;雌雄参与筑巢,营巢期7～10 d;主要雌鸟孵卵,孵卵期13～14 d,上午800～900时孵卵出现一次高峰;窝卵数(5.00±0.52)(n=16)枚,孵化率42.5%;雌雄参与育雏,育雏期15～16 d,下午1800～1900时育雏出现一次高峰,日育雏次数(112.9±48.6)(n=17),育雏时间间隔(5.60±5.34)min(n=1 584);雏鸟形态生长曲线呈"S"型.     

有关杜鹃繁殖习性的某些资料

我国常见的各种杜鹃,多丧失筑巢、孵卵和育雏的本能,产卵于他鸟巢中,待他鸟帮助孵卵、育雏。现将今年发现的两例具体材料报导于下。 1963年6月9日,我们在四川省南充县金城山采得红嘴蓝鹊(Kitta erythrorhyncha erythrorhyncha)的巢一个。巢中有幼鸟三只:二只红嘴蓝鹊,一只噪鹃(Eudynamys scolopacea chinensis)。三只幼鸟中,噪鹃生长发育最快,红嘴蓝鹊较慢。其量度比较如下:     

四川南充地区白鶺鴒的繁殖习性

2004年2~5月在四川省南充市嘉陵江中上游的河漫滩内对白鶺鴒(Motacilla alba)的繁殖习性进行了研究。结果表明:白鶺鴒2月开始繁殖;雌雄参与筑巢,营巢期7~10 d;主要雌鸟孵卵,孵卵期13~14 d,上午8:00~9:00时孵卵出现一次高峰;窝卵数(5.00±0.52)(n=16)枚,孵化率42.5%;雌雄参与育雏,育雏期15~16 d,下午18:00~19:00时育雏出现一次高峰,日育雏次数(112.9±48.6)(n=17),育雏时间间隔(5.60±5.34)min(n=1 584);雏鸟形态生长曲线呈“S”型。     

乌鸫的繁殖行为与坐巢行为初步观察

于2009年3～7月、2010年3～6月,采用焦点动物观察法和全事件行为记录法对乌鸫(Turdusmerula)的孵卵及育雏行为进行了研究。结果表明,乌鸫是雌鸟孵卵,在孵卵期出现卵损失现象,具补卵行为;孵卵前期与后期的坐巢行为存在差异,且其坐巢时间、频次和坐巢率有随孵卵数递增的趋势。双亲育雏但以雌鸟为主,喂食模式3种:雌鸟喂食、雄鸟喂食、雄鸟将食物递给雌鸟由雌鸟喂食。随着雏鸟日龄的增长,喂食次数增多,暖雏行为减少,至育雏后期未观察到暖雏行为。为权衡孵卵期和育雏前期的能量分配,乌鸫在孵卵期及育雏前期分别采取时间长而频次少和时间短而频次多的坐巢策略。     

广西防城港黑翅长脚鹬的繁殖行为

本研究于2021年3～9月,采用目标观察和全事件记录法,对广西防城港市钦州湾八路水湿地黑翅长脚鹬（Himantopus himantopus）的繁殖习性进行全过程观察记录。黑翅长脚鹬的栖息生境主要在盐田、虾塘和鱼塘,而巢主要分布在盐田生境。共发现39巢,雌雄共同营巢,按照主要巢材将其巢分为干草巢、碎石巢、泥皮巢和牛毛毡草巢4种;巢材包括禾本科（Gramineae）和莎草科（Cyperaceae）植物以及碎石、贝壳等;巢外径为（23.3±10.7）cm,巢内径为（11.2±1.9）cm,巢深为（1.6±0.5）cm,巢高为（6.5±4.3）cm(n=39);筑巢需（3±2）d(n=6)。窝卵数2～4枚,1～2 d产1枚卵,7 d内产完满窝卵（n=6）。雌雄均参与孵卵,雄性孵卵时间比雌性长,但二者差异不显著（P> 0.05）,雄性（8 550±245.9）min,雌性（7 530±263.3）min,孵卵期为（25±2）d(n=6)。育雏期（26±3）d(n=6),雌雄轮流育雏,育雏前、中期（雏鸟1～20d日龄）,雌性育雏时间比雄性长,是雄性的2倍,育雏后期（雏鸟大于20 d日龄）,...     

大■繁殖期的行为及时间分配

2015年4~9月,采用焦点动物取样法,通过人工观察及监控设备记录,在青海省祁连县研究了2窝在人工巢中繁殖的大■(Buteo hemilasius)行为。构建了大■亲鸟及雏鸟在繁殖期的行为谱,将亲鸟繁殖期内的行为划分为12项30种,将雏鸟的行为划分为9项25种。研究发现,大■繁殖期开始于4月中下旬,持续至8月中旬结束,平均(112.0±2.0)d(n=2);将繁殖期划分为孵卵前期、孵卵期、育雏期及雏鸟成熟期。利用单因素方差分析(One-way ANOVA)比对了雌雄亲鸟之间,以及不同时期间亲鸟、雏鸟的行为时间分配。结果显示,(1)雌雄大■之间的行为时间分配在孵卵前期及孵卵期差异不显著(P0.05),在育雏期及雏鸟成熟期差异显著(P0.05)。在这两个时期,雌性栖停行为所占比例显著高于雄性(P0.01),而捕食行为占比显著低于雄性(P0.01)。(2)雌性大■行为时间分配在不同时期均变化显著(P0.05),雄性大■行为时间分配在育雏期与雏鸟成熟期间差异不显著,其余各个时期间差异显著(P0.05)。(3)大■雏鸟行为时间分配在育雏期与成熟期之间差异显著(P0.05)。     

大鵟繁殖期的行为及时间分配

2015年4～9月,采用焦点动物取样法,通过人工观察及监控设备记录,在青海省祁连县研究了2窝在人工巢中繁殖的大(鵟)(Buteo hemilasius)行为.构建了大(鵟)亲鸟及雏鸟在繁殖期的行为谱,将亲鸟繁殖期内的行为划分为12项30种,将雏鸟的行为划分为9项25种.研究发现,大(鵟)繁殖期开始于4月中下旬,持续至8月中旬结束,平均(112.0±2.0)d(n=2);将繁殖期划分为孵卵前期、孵卵期、育雏期及雏鸟成熟期.利用单因素方差分析(One-way ANOVA)比对了雌雄亲鸟之间,以及不同时期间亲鸟、雏鸟的行为时间分配.结果显示,(1)雌雄大(鵟)之间的行为时间分配在孵卵前期及孵卵期差异不显著(P＞0.05),在育雏期及雏鸟成熟期差异显著(P＜0.05).在这两个时期,雌性栖停行为所占比例显著高于雄性(P＜0.01),而捕食行为占比显著低于雄性(P＜ 0.01).(2)雌性大(鵟)行为时间分配在不同时期均变化显著(P＜ 0.05),雄性大(鵟)行为时间分配在育雏期与雏鸟成熟期间差异不显著,其余各个时期间差异显著(P＜ 0.05).(3)大(鵟)雏鸟行为时间分配在育雏期与成熟期之间差异显著(P＜0.05).     

四川南充市区珠颈斑鸠的繁殖生态学和巢址选择

2002年11月~2004年4月在四川省南充市区内对珠颈斑鸠(Streptopelia chinensis)繁殖生态和巢址选择进行了研究。结果表明:珠颈斑鸠3月初开始求偶交配,求偶行为复杂,有“婚飞”行为;雌雄参与筑巢,营巢期7~8 d。影响巢址选择的主要因素有6种:栖位与巢周隐蔽因子、巢下隐蔽因子、光照因子、人为活动因子、食物因子和营巢树因子;窝卵数2枚,雌雄轮流孵卵,孵卵期17~18 d,孵化率86.67%;雌雄均参与育雏,育雏期18~20 d,雏离巢率73.08%,繁殖生产力1.82,种群育雏高峰期为7月和8月中上旬。     

繁殖期杂色山雀应激水平的皮质酮浓度 与繁殖投入的关系

皮质酮是鸟类重要的糖皮质激素,在其适应环境变化及压力应激反应中起重要的调节作用。非应激状态时,鸟类血浆皮质酮浓度处于基线水平,当鸟类面对应激刺激时,血浆皮质酮浓度迅速升高,应激水平的皮质酮对鸟类个体生存至关重要。然而,目前繁殖季鸟类血浆应激水平的皮质酮浓度变化及其与繁殖投入关系的研究结果存在种间差异,仍需在不同的物种中进行实验研究。本研究分析了繁殖季杂色山雀（Sittiparus varius）血浆应激水平的皮质酮浓度在繁殖阶段的变化,及育雏期亲鸟血浆应激水平的皮质酮浓度与繁殖参数和亲鸟育雏投入的关系。结果显示,与求偶期相比,育雏期杂色山雀亲鸟血浆应激水平的皮质酮浓度极显著升高（P < 0.001）,雌性与雄性亲鸟之间无显著性差异（P > 0.05）;雌性与雄性亲鸟血浆应激水平的皮质酮浓度与繁殖参数、亲鸟递食投入、巢防卫行为均无显著相关性（P > 0.05）。     

Endocrine and neuroendocrine regulation of fathering behavior in birds

This article is part of a Special Issue "Parental Care".Although paternal care is generally rare among vertebrates, care of eggs and young by male birds is extremely common and may take on a variety of forms across species. Thus, birds provide ample opportunities for investigating both the evolution of and the proximate mechanisms underpinning diverse aspects of fathering behavior. However, significant gaps remain in our understanding of the endocrine and neuroendocrine influences on paternal care in this vertebrate group. In this review, I focus on proximate mechanisms of paternal care in birds. I place an emphasis on specific hormones that vary predictably and/or unpredictably during the parental phase in both captive and wild birds: prolactin and progesterone are generally assumed to enhance paternal care, whereas testosterone and corticosterone are commonly—though not always correctly—assumed to inhibit paternal care. In addition, because endocrine secretions are not the sole mechanistic influence on paternal behavior, I also explore potential roles for certain neuropeptide systems (specifically the oxytocin–vasopressin nonapeptides and gonadotropin inhibitory hormone) and social and experiential factors in influencing paternal behavior in birds. Ultimately, mechanistic control of fathering behavior in birds is complex, and I suggest specific avenues for future research with the goal of narrowing gaps in our understanding of this complexity. Such avenues include (1) experimental studies that carefully consider not only endocrine and neuroendocrine mechanisms of paternal behavior, but also the ecology, phylogenetic history, and social context of focal species; (2) investigations that focus on individual variation in both hormonal and behavioral responses during the parental phase; (3) studies that investigate mechanisms of maternal and paternal care independently, rather than assuming that the mechanistic foundations of care are similar between the sexes; (4) expansion of work on interactions of the neuroendocrine system and fathering behavior to a wider array of paternal behaviors and taxa (e.g., currently, studies of the interactions of testosterone and paternal care largely focus on songbirds, whereas studies of the interactions of corticosterone, prolactin, and paternal care in times of stress focus primarily on seabirds); and (5) more deliberate study of exceptions to commonly held assumptions about hormone–paternal behavior interactions (such as the prevailing assumptions that elevations in androgens and glucocorticoids are universally disruptive to paternal care). Ultimately, investigations that take an intentionally integrative approach to understanding the social, evolutionary, and physiological influences on fathering behavior will make great strides toward refining our understanding of the complex nature by which paternal behavior in birds is regulated.     

Testosterone response to courtship predicts future paternal behavior in the California mouse, Peromyscus californicus

In the monogamous and biparental California mouse (Peromyscus californicus), paternal care is critical for maximal offspring survival. Animals form pair bonds and do not engage in extrapair matings, and thus female evaluation of paternal quality during courtship is likely to be advantageous. We hypothesized that male endocrine or behavioral response to courtship interactions would be predictive of future paternal behavior. To test this hypothesis, we formed 20 pairs of California mice, and evaluated their behavior during the first hour of courtship interactions and again following the birth of young. We also collected blood from males at baseline, 1 hr after pairing, 3 weeks paired, and when young were 4 days old to measure testosterone (T). We found that male T-response to courtship interactions predicted future paternal behavior, specifically the amount of time he huddled over young when challenged by the temporary removal of his mate. Males that mounted T increases at courtship also approached pups more quickly during this challenge than males who had a significant decrease in T at courtship. Proximity of the male and female during courtship predicted paternal huddling during a 1-hr observation, and a multiple regression analysis revealed that courtship behavior was also predictive of birth latency. We speculate that male T-response to a female in P. californicus is an honest indicator of paternal quality, and if detectable by females could provide a basis for evaluation during mate choice.     

Effects of artificial social stimuli on the reproductive schedule and hormone levels of yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes)

The effects of social stimuli on avian reproductive behaviors such as breeding schedules and courtship behaviors are well known due to numerous field studies. However, studies that have simultaneously examined the effects of social stimuli on reproductive behavior and the mediating endocrine mechanisms have been largely restricted to captive populations, which may not be representative of free-living populations. This study, conducted over two breeding seasons, aimed to simultaneously measure the effects of experimentally increasing auditory stimuli on the breeding schedule and endocrinology (levels of total androgen, estradiol, progesterone and prolactin) on free-living yellow-eyed penguins (Megadyptes antipodes). The yellow-eyed penguin is the least colonial of all penguins, nesting far apart from each other under dense vegetation, and, therefore, is presumed to experience much lower levels of social stimuli than other penguins. Egg laying was significantly more synchronous and tended to be earlier when birds were exposed to playbacks of the calls of conspecifics in 1 year of the study. We also found that levels of total androgen and estradiol of males in 1 year, and prolactin in another year, were proportionally higher among treated birds compared control birds that received no artificial auditory stimuli. These results show that even among supposedly solitary nesters, social stimuli could still play a role in influencing reproductive behavior and physiology. For the first time in free-living seabirds, we have demonstrated that behavioral responses to increased social stimuli are associated with hormonal changes.     

Androgen and behavior in the male three-spined stickleback,Gasterosteus aculeatus. II. Castration and 11-ketoandrostenedione effects on courtship and parental care during the nesting cycle

Courtship declines and ceases while parental care increases in the presence of developing eggs during the nesting cycle of the male three-spined stickleback, Gasterosteus aculeatus. Furthermore, circulating 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) levels are higher during the initial "courtship phase" than during the later "parental phase," similar to that found in other paternal fishes. This study aimed to investigate a possible functional relationship between changes in 11KT levels and changes in reproductive behavior during the nesting cycle. To this end, groups of nonspawned and spawned male sticklebacks were sham-operated, castrated, or castrated and treated with 11-ketoandrostenedione (11KA), and the effects of the treatments on courtship and parental care were studied. Castration removed circulating 11KT, while 11KA replacement prevented the natural decline in 11KT during the parental phase (11KA converts to 11KT extratesticularly), as assessed by radioimmunoassay. Regardless of treatment, parental care remained low and courtship was present in all nonspawned males, even at the end of the experiment. However, courtship did eventually decline in castrated nonspawned males compared to the other two nonspawned groups. In all treatments of spawned males there was a drastic decline in courtship and an increase in parental care. In castrated spawned males, however, the decline in courtship came earlier than in the other two spawned groups. 11KA treatment did not prevent the natural decline in courtship/increase in parental care in spawned males, indicating that the natural decline in 11KT is not responsible for the main portion of the rapid changes in these behaviors over the stickleback's nesting cycle. The limited effects of castration also exclude other gonadal hormones from being responsible for most of these changes.     

Contributions of testosterone and territory ownership to sexually-motivated behaviors and mRNA expression in the medial preoptic area of male European starlings

Animals integrate social information with their internal endocrine state to control the timing of behavior, but how these signals are integrated in the brain is not understood. The medial preoptic area (mPOA) may play an integrative role in the control of courtship behavior, as it receives projections from multiple sensory systems, and is central to the hormonal control of courtship behavior across vertebrates. Additionally, data from many species implicate opioid and dopaminergic systems in the mPOA in the control of male courtship behavior. We used European starlings to test the hypothesis that testosterone (T) and social status (in the form of territory possession) interact to control the timing of courtship behavior by modulating steroid hormone-, opioid- and dopaminergic-related gene expression in the mPOA. We found that only males given both T and a nesting territory produced high rates of courtship behavior in response to a female. T treatment altered patterns of gene expression in the mPOA by increasing androgen receptor, aromatase, mu-opioid receptor and preproenkephalin mRNA and decreasing tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA expression. Territory possession did not alter mRNA expression in the mPOA, despite the finding that only birds with both T and a nesting territory produced courtship behavior. We propose that T prepares the mPOA to respond to the presence of a female with high rates of courtship song by altering gene expression, but that activity in the mPOA is under a continuous (i.e. tonic) inhibition until a male starling obtains a nesting territory.     

Prolactin's mediative role in male parenting in parentally experienced marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)

Prolactin has been implicated in promoting paternal care behaviors but little evidence of causality has been found to date except for birds and fish. This study was designed to examine the possible causal relationships between prolactin and male parenting behaviors, reproductive hormones, and physical changes in cooperatively breeding common marmosets, Callithrix jacchus. Fifteen parentally experienced fathers were studied over three consecutive infant care periods during two weeks prior and three weeks following their mates' parturition under three-treatment conditions: normal control pregnancy, decreased prolactin and elevated prolactin. The treatments significantly altered the serum prolactin levels in the fathers. Using three methods of determining a father's level of parental care: infant carrying, family effort and responsiveness to infant stimulus tests, we found that only the male response to infant stimuli was altered by the hormone treatments. Lowering prolactin significantly reduced male responsiveness to infant stimuli but elevating prolactin showed the same effect. Hormonal sampling indicated that testosterone levels showed an inverse relationship to prolactin levels during a normal peripartum period and prolactin treatment reduced this relationship. Prepartum estradiol levels were significantly elevated during the lowered prolactin treatment and estradiol was significantly lowered postpartum with the elevated prolactin treatment. Father's weight decreased significantly by the third week of infant care during the normal treatment. Males in the elevated prolactin treatment lost little or no weight from prepartum while in the lowered prolactin treatment showed the most weight loss. The present findings did not distinguish a direct causal relationship of prolactin on behavior in experienced fathers but did find an interaction with other hormones and weight gain.     

Testosterone and the trade-off between mating and paternal effort in extrapair-mating superb fairy-wrens

High investment in mating and parental effort in male birds are considered mutually exclusive, as testosterone suppresses paternal care and stimulates sexual and aggressive behaviours. Superb fairy-wrens, Malurus cyaneus, are unusual in that males concurrently engage in courtship and paternal care. Fairy-wrens live as stable socially monogamous pairs with up to four subordinate male helpers. The majority of offspring are not sired by any of the males in the group but all group males provide parental care. Throughout the period of care males visit and court neighbouring females. To examine the role of testosterone in this trade-off, I determined the effect of testosterone treatment on the males' time budget, in particular their investment in within- and extrapair sexual behaviours and paternal care. Testosterone did not affect time spent foraging and resting or the number of songs produced. However, the relative investment in sexual and parental behaviours changed, confirming proximate control of this trade-off by testosterone. While there was a large increase in within-pair courtship, which is always rare during the nestling period, testosterone had only a small effect on the most frequent sexual behaviour, extragroup courtship displays. Testosterone failed to induce the maximum frequency of courtship flights of which male fairy-wrens are capable, and I argue that this is because, at prevailing testosterone levels, males are always motivated to leave their territory and social circumstances largely dictate the actual departure rate. Copyright 2002 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.     

Social and breeding status are associated with the expression of GnIH

Discoveries of how social behavior can influence the plasticity of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) have revolutionized the field of behavioral neuroendocrinology by providing new insights into the neural mechanisms controlling behavior. In 2000, the neuropeptide gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) was discovered and is changing the way we view how the brain mediates reproduction and associated behaviors. GnIH acts as a reproductive 'pause button', momentarily inhibiting the activity of the reproductive system. However, how GnIH fluctuates naturally in response to social environment is unknown. We examine how the outcome of competition for limited resources needed for reproduction is associated with GnIH. We experimentally manipulated nesting opportunities for pairs of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and examined brain GnIH mRNA and peptide content, as well as GnRH content and plasma testosterone and corticosterone. By limiting the number of nest boxes per enclosure and thus the number of social pairing and nesting opportunities, we observed that birds which outcompeted others for nest boxes ('winners') had significantly fewer numbers of GnIH peptide-producing cells than those without nest boxes ('losers') and this relationship changed with breeding stage. GnRH content, testosterone and corticosterone did not vary with nest box ownership. Thus, while birds appeared reproductively capable across treatments, our data indicate that GnIH may serve as a modulator of reproductive behaviors in response to social environment. Additionally, we provide some evidence of the adaptive value of this mechanism.     

Prolactin and paternal behavior in the biparental California mouse, Peromyscus californicus

Relatively little is known about hormonal mechanisms underlying paternal behavior in mammals. Male California mice, Peromyscus californicus, display extensive parental care toward their young. Parental behavior of fathers, expectant fathers (males living with their pregnant partner), and virgin males was assessed in a 10-min test with a 1- to 3-day-old alien pup. Few virgin males acted parental (19%) compared to fathers one day postpartum (80%) and expectant fathers (56%). Plasma prolactin levels were significantly elevated in fathers 2 days postpartum compared to expectant fathers and virgin males. Paternal prolactin levels were similar to those of mothers. There were no differences between groups in levels of plasma testosterone. These data suggest, contrary to other reports, that prolactin is a likely correlate of paternal behavior in rodents.     

Testosterone and prolactin in two songbirds that differ in paternal care: the Blue-headed Vireo and the Red-eyed Vireo

We investigated the hypothesis that species differences in paternal care in birds may result from differences in concentrations of circulating testosterone (T) and prolactin (PRL). Concentrations of plasma T and PRL were compared in breeding Blue-headed Vireos (Vireo solitarius) and Red-eyed Vireos (Vireo olivaceus), passerine congeners with biparental and maternal incubation, respectively. In male Blue-headed Vireos, plasma T remained low from prenesting to fledgling stages; whereas in male Red-eyed Vireos, plasma T was highest during prenesting and progressively decreased during incubation, nestling, and fledgling stages. In male Blue-headed Vireos, plasma PRL was similar to that in female Blue-headed Vireos and was higher than in male Red-eyed Vireos at all breeding stages. Plasma PRL increased in male Red-eyed Vireos at the incubation stage and remained moderately elevated through the nestling and fledgling stages. In male Blue-headed Vireos, the combination of high PRL and low T during the prenesting stage may promote brood patch formation and nest building, and, at later stages, incubation and feeding of young. In male Red-eyed Vireos, high PRL and low T during incubation and nestling stages may facilitate the feeding of young, as seen in males of other species. Our observations support the hypothesis that differences in paternal care reflect differences in circulating T and PRL.