Effects of long-acting testosterone treatment on freeliving pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, during the breeding period

Abstract

Breeding behaviour and spermatogenesis of all males in a population of pied flycatchers, Ficedula hypoleuca, were experimentally prolonged by long-acting testosterone. The behaviour of these birds was compared with that of birds from an untreated population and a population where the males were given the vehicle only. The testosterone treatment prolonged territorial behaviour, and a higher percentage of nests without a feeding male during the nestling period was found in the experimental area. The proportion of polygamous males did not however differ between the experimental and control areas. The feeding activity of those testosterone-treated males returning to their home territories was markedly depressed. The female of such a pair did not compensate for the male's low feeding activity, but fed the nestlings as she would have done with a normal untreated male at the nest. On the other hand, females without a male present during the nestling period compensated for their mates' absence by increasing their own feeding frequency. It was also shown that the song of the male pied flycatcher is dependent upon androgens. The testosterone-treated males produced fewer fledglings than the control males.