Meeting Abstract

89.3  Monday, Jan. 6 14:00  The comparative environmental and evolutionary endocrinology of black (Centropus grillii) and white-browed coucals (C. superciliosus), two sympatric birds differing in mate competition and parental care patterns GOYMANN, W.; MPI fuer Ornithologie, Seewiesen wolfgang@goymann.org

John Wingfield’s contributions to environmental endocrinology have been crucial for the ongoing success of this lively field of research. One of John Wingfield’s strengths is his ability to conceptualize his tremendous knowledge about the natural history of animals and combine it with highly relevant research questions regarding the hormonal control mechanisms of behavioral and other traits. Together with Emily Rissman he was, for example, among the first to study hormonal correlates of sex-role reversed behaviors in birds. In his laboratory, I started to continue this line of research investigating hormonal factors involved in sex-role reversal of black coucals, the only altricial bird species with obligate female competition for territories and access to males and male-only care. In subsequent years I have expanded my focus to also include the white-browed coucal, a sympatric coucal species that is socially monogamous and biparental. I will present comparative data regarding the breeding ecology and sex-hormone physiology of these closely related species. Further, I will compare the parental effort between black and white-browed coucals and relate it to corticosterone concentrations. The results and their implications for current ideas regarding the mechanisms of sex-role reversal and parental care will be discussed at the meeting.