Sexual assessment in the male dove: behavioural and physiological effects of choice without interaction

Abstract

Abstract. The behavioural effects of socio-sexual visual stimulation without interaction were analysed experimentally. Observations were made of hormone-dependent courtship behaviour involving choices between stimuli. Sexually active male Barbary doves, Streptopelia risoria, distinguished between male and female stimulus doves at a distance. Nest-soliciting behaviour was preferentially displayed to the female in a choice situation between stimuli in which experimental males could see the stimulus female, but could not be seen. No difference was detected in the behaviour when the choice was between uninseminated and recently inseminated females. The males chose to display to newly established pairs rather than to solitary uninseminated females or to a pair of castrated males which showed no courtship behaviour. The socio-sexual interactions of a newly established pair in the choice situation appeared to have a high stimulus value for the male. No significant preference was shown when there was a choice between courting and nesting pairs. Oestrogen formation in the brain was positively correlated with the total perch calling behaviour shown in the choice situation between castrated males and newly established pairs. It is concluded that (1) males of this apparently monomorphic species can use stimulus cues that do not involve tactile or visual interaction in distinguishing a sexually active male from a female, (2) courting pairs have a high stimulus value for sexually active males, and (3) brain oestrogen formation is correlated with behaviour shown in this choice situation.