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Corticosterone excretion patterns and affiliative behavior over development in ravens (Corvus corax)
Mareike Stöwe1, Thomas Bugnyar, Christian Schloegl
1Konrad Lorenz Research Station, Grünau 11, A 4645 Grünau, Austria. m_stoewe@hotmail.com
Hormones and Behavior
|November 21, 2007
Summary
Social allies buffer stress in birds, similar to mammals. Juvenile ravens showing positive social behaviors had lower corticosterone levels, suggesting stress resilience through social bonds.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Ecology
- Neuroendocrinology
- Avian Biology
Background:
- Social stress can be mitigated by social allies, observed in mammals and birds.
- Socio-positive behaviors' impact on corticosterone in young birds remains understudied.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate corticosterone excretion patterns in juvenile ravens.
- Relate these patterns to socio-positive behaviors across different life stages.
Main Methods:
- Monitored corticosterone metabolites (CM) in fecal samples from hand-raised juvenile ravens.
- Collected behavioral data using focal sampling during nestling, post-fledging, and independent stages.
- Analyzed CM using enzyme immunoassays and validated assay performance.
Main Results:
- Basal CM levels were highest in nestlings, decreasing post-fledging and upon independence.
- Allopreening time in nestlings negatively correlated with CM.
- Post-fledging, higher CM correlated with closer proximity and more allopreening of conspecifics.
Conclusions:
- Juvenile ravens' social behaviors, like allopreening, are linked to corticosterone levels.
- These patterns in ravens parallel primate social stress responses.
- Complex social environments may drive similar stress-coping mechanisms across diverse species.
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