Meeting Abstract
17α -Ethinylestradiol (EE2), found in oral contraceptives, is considered an endocrine disrupter and is often detected in sewage effluent. Both aquatic and terrestrial animals can be exposed to EE2 in the environment with potential effects on behavior and reproductive success. We tested the effects of EE2 on nest success by recording paternal care of zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and offspring growth and survival after male exposure to EE2. We used three levels of EE2 exposure, 0 ng (control); 4 ng, which is a level found in streams near wastewater effluent sites; and 100 ng, which serves as a higher level not recorded in nature. Males were dosed orally for three weeks before males and females were introduced and treatment continued until nestlings hatched. We recorded courtship behaviors to determine if EE2 affected pair bond formation and parental care behaviors during incubation to observe if EE2 affected paternal investment. We also measured nest success via egg production, hatching success and fledging success. Males treated with EE2 have altered behavior during courtship and egg incubation, specifically time spent in the nest box, time spent maintaining the nest box and pair bond maintenance behaviors via allopreening. Preliminary data suggest that paternal EE2 treatment does not influence hatching and fledging success but may influence nestling growth as demonstrated by effects on weight gain, wing growth and tarsus growth. Collectively these data suggest that environmentally relevant levels of EE2 do affect male behavior and may affect aspects of offspring growth, therefore, making EE2 an environmental concern.
