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- Title
Testosterone and helping behavior in the azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyanus): natural covariation and an experimental test.
- Authors
de la Cruz, Carlos; Solís, Elena; Valencia, Juliana; Chastel, Olivier; Sorci, Gabriele
- Abstract
In this study, we investigated patterns of natural covariation between testosterone and reproductive status in a cooperatively breeding bird species, the azure-winged magpie (Cyanopica cyanus). To assess the relationship between testosterone and breeding behavior, we also manipulated testosterone (T) levels early in the season (before breeding started) using testosterone-filled or empty implants. Our results do not support the hypothesis that circulating testosterone levels affect the occurrence of helping behavior in the azure-winged magpie. Helping males had similar T levels to breeding males. Furthermore, experimentally augmented plasma T did not affect the likelihood of becoming either a helper or a breeder. Overall, these results are consistent with previous findings in other bird species and only give some support to the behavioral suppression hypothesis, suggesting that helping in the azure-winged magpie is a flexible behavioral option moderated in the short-term by social and ecological factors. Experimentally elevated testosterone levels, however, reduced the reproductive success of male breeders because of markedly lower levels of paternal care, had similar effects on their mates, but had the contrary effect on helpers, which raised levels of parental effort. We suggest increases in the share of paternity and in social prestige as possible explanations for these results.
- Subjects
MAGPIES; ALTRUISTIC behavior in animals; ANIMAL behavior; TESTOSTERONE; BIOLOGICAL variation; SOCIOBIOLOGY; GENETIC psychology
- Publication
Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, 2003, Vol 55, Issue 1, p103
- ISSN
0340-5443
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00265-003-0674-4