Meeting Abstract
Glucocorticoids (GCs) are thought to impact reproductive success, and ultimately fitness. In this study we focus specifically on the relationship between GCs and parental care. Captive bred Japanese quail do not show spontaneous parental care behavior, however previous research has shown that repeated or prolonged exposure to chicks can induce parental care in this species. Our aim was to investigate how the stress responsiveness of Japanese quail relates to parental care in control and induced birds of both sexes. Each bird underwent a hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function test prior to any exposure to chicks. This test consists of obtaining baseline corticosterone levels, the response to a standardized stressor, and assessment of negative feedback efficacy through dexamethasone injection. Next, birds were randomly assigned to a control or treatment group. Treatment birds were exposed to chicks overnight in a small enclosure, while control birds were enclosed but not exposed to chicks. The following morning, all birds were exposed to a fresh set of chicks for 20-minutes to assess the success of induction, through measures of aggression and parental care behaviors. A final GC sample was obtained at the end of the 20 minutes to assess if exposure to novel chicks was perceived as stressful. Stress responsiveness was not correlated to parental care induction success, aggression, or parental care behavior. Additionally, exposure to novel chicks was not associated with an increase in GCs, suggesting exposure to chicks may not be perceived as stressful. Overall it appears that glucocorticoids are not causally related to parental care in captive bred Japanese quail. Our results provide further insights into the role GCs play in avian reproductive success.
