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Related Experiment Videos

Endocrine patterns during aging in the common tern (Sterna hirundo).

I C Nisbet1, C E Finch, N Thompson

  • 1I. C. T. Nisbet & Company, 150 Alder Lane, North Falmouth, Massachusetts, 02556, USA. icnisbet@cape.com

General and Comparative Endocrinology
|April 20, 1999
PubMed
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Older common terns nest earlier, with hormonal changes observed in maturing birds. While most adult terns maintain stable endocrine status with age, some older individuals show slight, non-significant declines in certain hormones.

Area of Science:

  • Avian endocrinology
  • Reproductive biology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Aging impacts reproductive physiology across species.
  • Understanding age-related endocrine changes in wild populations is crucial for conservation.
  • Common terns (Sterna hirundo) are long-lived seabirds suitable for aging studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate age-related changes in plasma hormone concentrations (estradiol, progesterone, androgen, luteinizing hormone) in breeding common terns.
  • To determine if endocrine profiles correlate with reproductive timing and aging in this species.
  • To assess hormonal stability and potential declines in very old breeding individuals.

Main Methods:

  • Blood samples collected from known-age breeding common terns over two seasons.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Hormone levels (estradiol, progesterone, androgen, LH) analyzed in relation to bird age.
  • Reproductive parameters, specifically laying date, correlated with age and hormonal status.

    • Main Results:

    • A significant inverse correlation between age and laying date was observed in both sexes; older birds nested earlier.
    • Plasma luteinizing hormone (LH) increased in mature females (>5 years).
    • Maturing males (3-5 years) showed increasing androgen levels and declining progesterone, while mature males had stable levels. Older birds (16-21 years) showed non-significant declines in estradiol and androgens.

    Conclusions:

    • Common terns exhibit age-related endocrine shifts, particularly during maturation, influencing reproductive timing.
    • Mature common terns maintain relatively stable endocrine status up to at least 21 years.
    • Individual variability in hormone levels is high, potentially masking subtle age-related changes in the broader breeding population.