Hiding Places Affect Quail Offspring's Behavior and Hormones
Author Information
Author(s): Guesdon Vanessa, Bertin Aline, Houdelier Cécilia, Lumineau Sophie, Formanek Laureline, Kotrschal Kurt, Möstl Erich, Richard-Yris Marie-Annick
Primary Institution: UMR CNRS 6552, Ethologie Animale et Humaine, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France
Hypothesis
Housing environment of mothers would modulate the quality of her eggs and in turn her offspring's behaviour.
Conclusion
Providing a hiding place for quail reduced yolk androgen levels and resulted in less reactive offspring.
Supporting Evidence
- Hd females produced eggs with lower testosterone and androstenedione levels than NoHd females.
- Offspring of Hd females showed lower emotional and social reactivity.
- Growth of Hd chicks was slower compared to NoHd chicks.
Takeaway
If mother quails have a place to hide, their babies are calmer and grow slower than those whose mothers didn't have a hiding spot.
Methodology
Two groups of female Japanese quail were kept in different cages, one with a hiding place and one without, and were exposed to daily human disturbances.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in the assessment of emotional reactivity due to the experimenter's presence.
Limitations
The study was limited to a specific species and may not generalize to all birds.
Participant Demographics
Female Japanese quail, aged 2 months.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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