Situational and hormonal determinants of courtship, aggressive and incubation behavior in male ring doves ( Streptopelia risoria)

Abstract

Previous experiments with ring doves ( Streptopelia risoria) suggested that neither gonadal nor adrenal steroids play an essential role in causing the transition from courtship to incubation behavior in males. The present experiments were designed to (a) test whether any endogenous change is required in male doves before they become capable of displaying incubation behavior and (b) determine what environmental factors may operate in effecting such an endogenous change. The results show that a male taken from isolation does not immediately incubate when paired with a female who is already at the incubatory stage of her cycle. Of the environmental factors tested, previous exposure to nesting material and to a female partner were most important for inducing endogenous changes required for display of incubation behavior upon pairing with an incubating female. However, neither of these factors is absolutely essential. Environmental factors can apparently act in an additive fashion with each other and with hormones to facilitate the transition from courtship to incubation.