Effect of estradiol and predator cues on behavior and brain responses of captive female house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

• DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1172865
• Publication Date: 2023-06-24T14:34:51Z
• Authors: Melanie G. Kimball; Courtney T. Harding; Kaitlin E. Couvil...; Keegan R. Stansberry; Tosha R. Kelly; Christine R. Lattin
• Keywords: Passer

The presence of predators can cause major changes in animal behavior, but how this interacts with hormonal state and brain activity is poorly understood. We gave female house sparrows ( Passer domesticus ) post-molt condition an estradiol (n = 17) or empty implant 16) for 1 week. Four weeks after removal, a time when show large differences neuronal to conspecific vs. heterospecific song, we exposed birds either 30 min song predator calls, video recorded their behavior. Females were then euthanized, examined using the expression immediate early gene (IEG) ZENK identify acoustic stimuli affected activation. predicted that if implants reduce response calls as they do neutral tones non-predatory heterospecifics, would less fear behavior decreased regions involved auditory (e.g., caudomedial mesopallium) threat perception functions medial ventral arcopallium) compared controls. Conversely, females maintain and/or sensitivity towards not any regardless playback type. found active during playbacks independent hormone treatment spent more feeding had previously been estradiol. observed no effect sound on region interest. Our results suggest songbirds vigilance even breeding condition.