Effects of estradiol on adult zebra finch behaviour

Abstract

ct: I orally exposed zebra finch, Taeniopygia guttata, to 4.7 or 720 mug estradiol/g diet for eight days to test the hypothesis that estrogens can affect their behaviour. In a two choice preference test, low estradiol males spent (P = 0.01) more time near other males after six days of treatment and their courtship also diminished. Singing scores decreased (P = 0.01) in both treated groups, dancing score (P = 0.01) in the high estradiol and mounting in the low estradiol males were lower (P = 0.02) compared to controls on day 4 of the treatment period. Pecks and chases targeting males were lower in both treatment groups. More high estradiol females performed tail quivering on day 4 (P < 0.01) and their score for this behaviour was also significantly higher (P < 0.01). These females also accepted mounts by the stimulus male more often.