Meeting Abstract
Avian species have been shown to alter the primary sex ratio of their offspring in response to a variety of environmental and social factors. Food availability and quality appear to be strong influences on offspring sex ratios in birds; in 19 or 23 studies examining the influences of food availability or quality on sex ratios, a significant effect was found, and in general, more available and higher quality food stimulated the production of more male offspring. However, to date, the dietary component responsible for generating these skews is still unknown. In addition to food availability and quality, female condition, as measured by the female’s fat content, is also a common predictor of offspring sex ratios in birds. Thus, we hypothesize that the fat content in a female bird’s diet may be a major factor in the cause of sex ratio bias. Further, we chose to focus on omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids due both to their well-known physiological influences in birds, and also because in a study of Kakapo parrots, the addition of seeds high in these fatty acids to the diet results in offspring sex ratios that were significantly male-biased. Adult Japanese quail were pair-housed and fed either a conventional quail diet crumble or a diet crumble containing 10% higher levels of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids using a 1:1 combination of sunflower and linseed oil. After a two-week adjustment period, 14 eggs were collected from each bird, eggs were incubated for 2 days, and resulting embryos were collected and sexed using molecular techniques. The results of this study will shed light on the potential mechanisms responsible for sex ratio biases in birds.
