Reproductive Success of Hand-Reared vs. Parent-Reared Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus)
1988; Oxford University Press; Volume: 105; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1093/auk/105.3.536
ISSN1938-4254
AutoresSharon Myers, James R. Millam, T. E. Roudybush, C. R. Grau,
Tópico(s)Avian ecology and behavior
ResumoAbstract We studied the influence of early rearing experience on the reproductive success of Cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) by force-pairing somatically mature birds that had been either hand-reared (H) or parent-reared (P) from hatch to 6 weeks of age. Pairs of H-males and H-females, H-males and P-females, P-males and P-females, or P-males and H-females were encouraged to breed by providing nest-boxes and exposing pairs to a sexually stimulatory environment. Hand-rearing produced gender-specific effects that greatly affected reproductive success. Pairs containing H-females were more likely to lay eggs and laid more eggs than pairs with P-females but often laid them on the cage floor rather than in nest-boxes, reducing hatching success. Pairs containing H-males were less likely than pairs with P-males to produce fertile eggs, inspect nest-boxes, or lay eggs in nest-boxes. Fledging occurred only in pairs containing P-males. Early rearing experience is important for males to learn characteristics of the opposite sex, and for males and females to learn characteristics of nest-sites.
Referência(s)