Low Temperatures Affect the Photoperiodically Induced LH and Testicular Cycles Differently in Closely Related Species of Tits ( Parus spp.)

Abstract

Photosensitive great tits ( Parus major) and willow tits ( P. montanus) were exposed to long days (20L:4D) under three different temperature conditions (+4, + 10, and + 20°C) in early winter. The two species showed significant differences in their LH and testicular reaction patterns to low temperatures. Testes showed pronounced growth cycles under all temperature regimes. For the willow tit, testes in birds kept at +20°C reached maximum size about 2 weeks earlier than testes in birds living under the two lower temperature regimes, whereas in the great tit testes reached maximum size at about the same time in all three groups. Low temperatures delayed the onset of testicular regression in both species. Plasma levels of LH did change with time in both species. However, the patterns of the induced LH-cycles in the three great tit groups differed significantly from each other, whereas this was not the case for the willow tits. The LH cycle was especially pronounced in great tits kept at +20°C. The initial LH peak in great tits kept at +4 and +10°C was about 50% lower than in great tits kept at +20°C. These results are discussed in relation to species differences in winter ecology and establishment of breeding territories.