| the zebra finch paradox: song is little changed, but number of neurons doubles. | new neurons are added to the high vocal center (hvc) of adult males in seasonally breeding songbirds such as the canary (serinus canaria) that learns new songs in adulthood, and the song sparrow (melospiza melodia) that does not. in both cases, the new neurons numerically replace others that have died, resulting in a seasonal fluctuation in hvc volume and neuron number. peaks in neuronal replacement in both species occur in the fall when breeding is over and song is variable. new neurons are add ... | 2012 | 22262875 |
| granulomatous myocarditis caused by candida albicans in a canary (serinus canaria). | candida albicans is among the major agents of mucous membrane mycosis in humans and animals, with systemic and deep infections observed in immunocompromised hosts. we describe a case of fatal granulomatous myocarditis caused by c albicans in a 20-day-old canary (serinus canaria). the etiologic diagnosis was confirmed by identifying characteristic morphologic features of the organism, combined with histochemical staining, and followed by the use of ad hoc biomolecular analysis. | 2011 | 22216721 |
| cocaine use during pregnancy assessed by hair analysis in a canary islands cohort. | abstract: background: drug use during pregnancy is difficult to ascertain, and maternal reports are likely to be inaccurate. the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of illicit drug use among pregnant women by using maternal hair analysis. methods: a toxicological analysis of hair was used to detect chronic recreational drug use during pregnancy. in 2007, 347 mother-infant dyads were included from the hospital la candelaria, santa cruz de tenerife, canary islands (spain). data on so ... | 2012 | 22230295 |
| mortality and pathology in birds due to plasmodium (giovannolaia) homocircumflexum infection, with emphasis on the exoerythrocytic development of avian malaria parasites. | species of avian malaria parasites (plasmodium) are widespread, but their virulence has been insufficiently investigated, particularly in wild birds. during avian malaria, several cycles of tissue merogony occur, and many plasmodium spp. produce secondary exoerythrocytic meronts (phanerozoites), which are induced by merozoites developing in erythrocytic meronts. phanerozoites markedly damage organs, but remain insufficiently investigated in the majority of described plasmodium spp. avian malaria ... | 2016 | 27146519 |
| exposure of the mosquito vector culex pipiens to the malaria parasite plasmodium relictum: effect of infected blood intake on immune and antioxidant defences, fecundity and survival. | the intake of a plasmodium-infected blood meal may affect mosquito physiology and a series of trade-offs may occur, in particular between immune defences, reproduction and self-maintenance. we evaluated the cost of exposure to plasmodium in the mosquito vector by investigating the effect of exposure on fecundity and survival and the implication of immune and antioxidant defences in mediating this cost. | 2016 | 27899136 |
| an outbreak of yolk sac infection and dead-in-shell mortality in common canary (serinus canaria) caused by klebsiella pneumoniae. | yolk sac infection (ysi) and dead-in-shell mortality caused by enterobacteriaceae in birds are not a rare phenomenon, however there are only a few reports indicating the association between these conditions and klebsiella spp. among canary chicks (serinus canaria). there have been reports of high mortality among 1-3 day old canary chicks in an indoor flock of canaries. in order to study the causative agent, yolk sac samples from dead-in-shell and day-old canary chicks were cultured. klebsiella p ... | 2016 | 27822242 |
| pcr-based diagnosis, molecular characterization and detection of atypical strains of avian chlamydia psittaci in companion and wild birds. | chlamydiosis is one of the most important infectious diseases of birds. in this study, 253 clinical samples were taken from 27 bird species belonging to seven orders. thirty-two (12.6%) samples were positive for chlamydia psittaci major outer membrane gene (ompa) dna by a nested polymerase chain reaction (pcr). twelve nested pcr-positive specimens were typed by ompa gene-based pcr-restricted fragment length polymorphism, using ctu/ctl primers and alui restriction enzyme. four restriction pattern ... | 2013 | 23391180 |
| encephalitozoon hellem infection in aviary passerine and psittacine birds in spain. | a european goldfinch (carduelis carduelis), a canary (serinus canaria), and a lovebird (agapornis roseicollis) captive-bred at three different private aviaries in spain were submitted for necropsy with a history of weakness and ruffled feathers, weight loss associated with glossitis, and respiratory disease, respectively. microscopically, enterocytes in the jejunum and ileum contained colonies of gram- and stamp-positive, oval to elliptical microorganisms within parasitophorous vacuoles in the a ... | 2016 | 26921040 |
| identification of shiga toxin and intimin genes in escherichia coli detected from canary (serinus canaria domestica). | the pathogenicity of enterohemorrhagic escherichia coli (ehec) strains is, in large part, due to shiga toxin (stx) genes (stx1 and stx2) and/or intimin (eae) gene. the purpose of this study was to analyze the role of domestic canaries (serinus canaria domestica) as a reservoir of stx and intimin producing strains of e. coli. for this study, a total of 50 cloacal swabs were collected from 50 healthy domestic canaries. cloacal swabs were cultured and tested using standard methods of microbiology. ... | 2014 | 23047613 |
| viral vector vaccines expressing nucleoprotein and phosphoprotein genes of avian bornaviruses ameliorate homologous challenge infections in cockatiels and common canaries. | avian bornaviruses are causative agents of proventricular dilatation disease (pdd), an often fatal disease of parrots and related species (order psittaciformes) which is widely distributed in captive psittacine populations and may affect endangered species. here, we established a vaccination strategy employing two different well described viral vectors, namely recombinant newcastle disease virus (ndv) and modified vaccinia virus ankara (mva) that were engineered to express the phosphoprotein and ... | 2016 | 27830736 |
| description, molecular characterisation, diagnostics and life cycle of plasmodium elongatum (lineage perirub01), the virulent avian malaria parasite. | plasmodium elongatum causes severe avian malaria and is distributed worldwide. this parasite is of particular importance due to its ability to develop and cause lethal malaria not only in natural hosts, but also in non-adapted endemic birds such as the brown kiwi and different species of penguins. information on vectors of this infection is available but is contradictory. pcr-based analysis indicated the possible existence of a cluster of closely related p. elongatum lineages which might differ ... | 2016 | 27349510 |
| host immune responses to experimental infection of plasmodium relictum (lineage sgs1) in domestic canaries (serinus canaria). | understanding the complexity of host immune responses to parasite infection requires controlled experiments that can inform observational field studies. birds and their malaria parasites provide a useful model for understanding host-parasite relationships, but this model lacks a well-described experimental context for how hosts respond immunologically to infection. here, ten canaries (serinus canaria) were infected with the avian malaria parasite plasmodium relictum (lineage sgs1) in a controlle ... | 2015 | 26143864 |
| plasmodium spp.: an experimental study on vertebrate host susceptibility to avian malaria. | the interest in experimental studies on avian malaria caused by plasmodium species has increased recently due to the need of direct information about host-parasite interactions. numerous important issues (host susceptibility, development of infection, the resistance and tolerance to avian malaria) can be answered using experimental infections. however, specificity of genetically different lineages of malaria parasites and their isolates is largely unknown. this study reviews recent experimental ... | 2015 | 25450775 |
| social interactions modulate the virulence of avian malaria infection. | there is an increasing understanding of the context-dependent nature of parasite virulence. variation in parasite virulence can occur when infected individuals compete with conspecifics that vary in infection status; virulence may be higher when competing with uninfected competitors. in vertebrates with social hierarchies, we propose that these competition-mediated costs of infection may also vary with social status. dominant individuals have greater competitive ability than competing subordinat ... | 2013 | 23792297 |
| plasmodium relictum (lineages psgs1 and pgrw11): complete synchronous sporogony in mosquitoes culex pipiens pipiens. | plasmodium relictum is a widespread invasive agent of avian malaria, responsible for acute, chronic and debilitating diseases in many species of birds. recent pcr-based studies revealed astonishing genetic diversity of avian malaria parasites (genus plasmodium), with numerous genetic lineages deposited in genbank. many studies addressed distribution and evolutionary relationships of avian plasmodium lineages, but information about patterns of development of different lineages in mosquito vectors ... | 2013 | 23337824 |
| prolonged fecal shedding of 'megabacteria' (macrorhabdus ornithogaster) by clinically healthy canaries (serinus canaria). | macrorhabdus ornithogaster, often referred to as 'megabacterium', is an ascomycetous yeast usually found colonizing the mucosal surface of the isthmus existing between the glandular and grinding stomach of a wide diversity of bird species. however, this yeast can also behave as an avian pathogen, therefore representing a potential threat to bird breeding. the aim of this work was to assess the prevalence and patterns of fecal shedding of m. ornithogaster in a colony of healthy canary birds (seri ... | 2013 | 23855411 |
| outbreak of an unusual tracheal mite, ptilonyssus morofskyi (acarina: rhinonyssidae), in canaries ( serinus canaria ) with concurrent infection with staphylococcus aureus and macrorhabdus ornithogaster. | mortalities in a flock of canaries ( serinus canaria ) with respiratory acariasis, pododermatitis caused by staphylococcus aureus , and macrorhabdosis were investigated by postmortem examination. after a thorough parasitologic study, the tracheal mites were identified as ptilonyssus morofskyi. cleaning and disinfection of cages and perches, ivermectin application on the cervical skin of individual birds, enrofloxacin medication, and drinking water acidification with vinegar were used to control ... | 2016 | 27736235 |
| visceral lesions caused by yersinia pseudotuberculosis, serotype ii, in different species of bird. | the size and distribution of histological lesions was studied in 14 cases of avian pseudotuberculosis using a combination of serotype-specific immunohistochemistry and image analysis. the material was derived from recent and archival cases in six canaries (serinus canaria), two zebra finches (poephila guttata), three psittaciformes (a kaka, nestor meriondalis, one rainbow lorikeet, trichoglossus mollucanus, and one budgerigar, melopsittacus undulatus), and three new zealand wood pigeons (hemipha ... | 1999 | 26905497 |
| plasmodium delichoni n. sp.: description, molecular characterisation and remarks on the exoerythrocytic merogony, persistence, vectors and transmission. | malaria parasite plasmodium (novyella) delichoni n. sp. (haemosporida, plasmodiidae) was found in a widespread eurasian songbird, the common house martin delichon urbicum (hirundinidae). it is described based on the morphology of its blood stages and segments of the mitochondrial cytochrome b and apicoplast genes, which can be used for molecular identification of this species. erythrocytic meronts and gametocytes are strictly nucleophilic, and mature gametocytes possess pigment granules of marke ... | 2016 | 27000087 |
| description of the first cryptic avian malaria parasite, plasmodium homocircumflexum n. sp., with experimental data on its virulence and development in avian hosts and mosquitoes. | for over 100 years studies on avian haemosporidian parasite species have relied on similarities in their morphology to establish a species concept. some exceptional cases have also included information about the life cycle and sporogonic development. more than 50 avian plasmodium spp. have now been described. however, pcr-based studies show a much broader diversity of haemosporidian parasites, indicating the possible existence of a diverse group of cryptic species. in the present study, using bo ... | 2015 | 25449950 |
| isospora serinuse n. sp. (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) from a domestic canary (serinus canaria forma domestica) (passeriformes: fringillidae) in western australia. | a new species, isospora serinuse n. sp., (apicomplexa:eimeriidae) is described from a single domestic canary (serinus canaria forma domestica) (subspecies s. c. domestica) in western australia. sporulated oocysts of isospora serinuse n. sp. are spherical or subspherical, 25.5 (24.4-27.0) × 23.5 (22.0-24.8) μm, with a shape index (length/width) of 1.09; and a smooth bilayered oocyst wall, 1.2 μm thick (outer layer 0.9 μm, inner 0.3 μm). a polar granule is present, but a micropyle and oocyst resid ... | 2015 | 26325434 |
| feather mites (acari, astigmata) from azorean passerines (aves, passeriformes): lower species richness compared to european mainland. | ten passerine species were examined on three islands of the azores (north atlantic) during 2013 and 2014 in order to identify their feather mite assemblages. we recorded 19 feather mite species belonging to four families of the superfamily analgoidea (analgidae, proctophyllodidae, psoroptoididae and trouessartiidae). a high prevalence of feather mite species was recorded on the majority of the examined host species. only three passerine species (sylvia atricapilla, regulus regulus and serinus ca ... | 2015 | 25665827 |
| phylogenetic analysis supports horizontal transmission as a driving force of the spread of avian bornaviruses. | avian bornaviruses are a genetically diverse group of viruses initially discovered in 2008. they are known to infect several avian orders. bornaviruses of parrots and related species (psittaciformes) are causative agents of proventricular dilatation disease, a chronic and often fatal neurologic disease widely distributed in captive psittacine populations. although knowledge has considerably increased in the past years, many aspects of the biology of avian bornaviruses are still undiscovered. in ... | 2016 | 27537693 |
| regulatory mechanisms of testosterone-stimulated song in the sensorimotor nucleus hvc of female songbirds. | in male birds, influence of the sex steroid hormone testosterone and its estrogenic metabolites on seasonal song behavior has been demonstrated for many species. in contrast, female song was only recently recognized to be widespread among songbird species, and to date, sex hormone effects on singing and brain regions controlling song development and production (song control nuclei) have been studied in females almost exclusively using domesticated canaries (serinus canaria). however, domesticate ... | 2014 | 25442096 |
| discovery of a new avian bornavirus genotype in estrildid finches (estrildidae) in germany. | avian bornaviruses (abv) are known to be the causative agent of proventricular dilatation disease (pdd) in parrots and their relatives (psittaciformes). a broad range of abv genotypes has been detected not only in psittacine birds, but also in other avian species including canary birds (serinus canaria forma domestica) and bengalese finches (lonchura striata f. dom.), which are both members of the order songbirds (passeriformes). during this study 286 samples collected from captive and wild bird ... | 2014 | 24389254 |
| characterization of two complete isospora mitochondrial genomes from passerine birds: isospora serinuse in a domestic canary and isospora manorinae in a yellow-throated miner. | the genus term isospora is now applied specifically to parasites of birds, with the term cystoisospora preferred for parasites which infect mammals. isospora is a common parasitic coccidian in birds worldwide, especially in passerine birds, in which it can cause systemic coccidiosis. the complete mitochondrial genome sequences from two recently identified isospora species; isospora serinuse in a domestic canary and isospora manorinae in a yellow-throated miner, were sequenced and compared with t ... | 2017 | 28291602 |
| gastrointestinal parasites of exotic birds living in captivity in the state of sergipe, northeastern brazil. | brazil has a wide diversity of exotic birds that were brought to this country during the european colonization. these animals are kept in captivity and, in some cases, in inadequate facilities, which may facilitate the introduction of pathogens, including gastrointestinal parasites. the purpose of this study was to identify the main gastrointestinal parasites that affect exotic birds living in captivity in the state of sergipe, northeastern brazil. fecal samples (n = 362) from exotic birds were ... | 2017 | 27925071 |
| concurrent atypical diffused tuberculosis and macrorhabdosis in a canary (serinus canaria). | a dead canary from a mixed species zoological garden was presented for diagnostic necropsy. cachexia with prominent atrophy of pectoral muscles, yellowish brown discoloration of the liver and kidney, dark brown to black intestinal contents and moderate proventricular dilatation with some degree of catarrhal gastritis were the significant macroscopic findings. parenchymatous organs like the liver, the spleen, the lung and the kidneys were extremely affected by massive diffuse necrosis and heavy i ... | 2015 | 25992258 |
| the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of an isospora sp. (eimeriidae, eucoccidiorida, coccidiasina, apicomplexa) causing systemic coccidiosis in domestic canaries (serinus canaria linn.). | we report a complete mitochondrial genome sequence for an isospora sp. causing systemic coccidiosis in canaries, serinus canaria. the a + t rich (65.2%) genome was 6216 bp in length and possessed 3 protein-coding genes, (coi; coiii and cytb), 19 lsu and 14 ssu rdna fragments, including 1 newly identified putative lsu fragment. arrangement of coding regions was identical to that of available eimeria sp. mt genomes and start codon usage for protein-coding genes was conventional. the similar mitoch ... | 2016 | 25714148 |
| isospora canaria box, 1975 (apicomplexa: eimeriidae) from canaries serinus canaria linnaeus (passeriformes: fringillidae) in brazil. | isospora canaria box, 1975 (protozoa, apicomplexa, eimeriidae) is reported and described from canaries serinus canaria (linnaeus) in southeast brazil. its oöcysts are subspheroidal to ellipsoidal, 24.4 × 22.2 μm, with smooth, bilayered wall, ~1.2 μm. the micropyle and the oöcyst residuum are absent, but a polar granule is present. the sporocysts are lemon-shaped, 17.6 × 10.6 μm. the stieda body is nipple-like, and substieda body is prominent and homogeneous. the sporocyst residuum is composed of ... | 2013 | 23595491 |
| occurrence of ornithonyssus sylviarum in pet birds from the district of setúbal, portugal. | ornithonyssus sylviarum is a blood-feeding ectoparasite of birds and the most serious pest in poultry farms in north america. although the mites are typically adapted to temperate climates, information on this mite in europe is sparse, and dermanyssus gallinae is considered to be the only mite impacting the poultry industry. the present study reports the occurrence of o. sylviarum in pet birds in portugal. mites were collected directly from birds and with traps placed in cages and nests at 20 di ... | 2017 | 28523489 |
| genetic basis for red coloration in birds. | the yellow and red feather pigmentation of many bird species [1] plays pivotal roles in social signaling and mate choice [2, 3]. to produce red pigments, birds ingest yellow carotenoids and endogenously convert them into red ketocarotenoids via an oxidation reaction catalyzed by a previously unknown ketolase [4-6]. we investigated the genetic basis for red coloration in birds using whole-genome sequencing of red siskins (spinus cucullata), common canaries (serinus canaria), and "red factor" cana ... | 2016 | 27212400 |
| comparative cytogenetics between two important songbird, models: the zebra finch and the canary. | songbird species (order passeriformes, suborder oscines) are important models in various experimental fields spanning behavioural genomics to neurobiology. although the genomes of some songbird species were sequenced recently, the chromosomal organization of these species is mostly unknown. here we focused on the two most studied songbird species in neuroscience, the zebra finch (taeniopygia guttata) and the canary (serinus canaria). in order to clarify these issues and also to integrate chromos ... | 2017 | 28129381 |
| heterospecific exposure affects the development of secondary sexual traits in male zebra finches (taeniopygia guttata). | in many animal species, social signals can affect the reproductive physiology and behaviour of conspecifics. in a few species that exhibit vocal learning, exposure to conspecific and sometimes heterospecific sounds can also influence their vocal development. here we show that heterospecific exposure can affect the development of secondary sexual traits of male zebra finches (taeniopygia guttata). in a first experiment, we trained young males with a passive playback of domesticated canary (serinu ... | 2013 | 23298888 |
| amplitude modulation of sexy phrases is salient for song attractiveness in female canaries (serinus canaria). | song discrimination and recognition in songbird species have usually been studied by measuring responses to song playbacks. in female canaries, serinus canaria, copulation solicitation displays (csds) are used as an index of female preferences, which are related to song recognition. despite the fact that many studies underline the role of song syntax in this species, we observed that short segments of songs (a few seconds long) are enough for females to discriminate between conspecific and heter ... | 2012 | 22476242 |
| trichomonosis outbreak in a flock of canaries (serinus canaria f. domestica) caused by a finch epidemic strain of trichomonas gallinae. | in the present paper, an outbreak of trichomonosis in a flock of 15 breeding pairs of canaries is described. trichomonosis was diagnosed on characteristic clinical signs, microscopic examination of crop/esophageal swabs, gross pathology and histopathology. trichomonads were successfully grown in culture media and were characterized by multi-locus sequence typing. the three genomic loci its1-5.8s-its2, 18s rrna and fe-hydrogenase were analyzed. molecular characterization confirmed the finch trich ... | 2017 | 28413077 |
| no contact transmission of avian bornavirus in experimentally infected cockatiels (nymphicus hollandicus) and domestic canaries (serinus canaria forma domestica). | avian bornaviruses (abv) are the causative agents of proventricular dilatation disease (pdd), a widely distributed disease of parrots. distinct abv lineages were also found in various non-psittacine avian species, such as canaries, but the pathogenic role of abv in these species is less clear. despite the wide distribution of abv in captive parrots and canaries, its mode of transmission is poorly understood: both horizontal transmission via the urofaecal-oral route and vertical transmission are ... | 2014 | 24933163 |
| avian bornaviruses are widely distributed in canary birds (serinus canaria f. domestica). | avian bornavirus (abv) was identified in 2008 as the causative agent of proventricular dilatation disease (pdd) in psittacine birds. in addition, abv variants were detected in wild waterfowl and in a canary bird. pdd-like diseases were also reported in various other avian species, but it remains unknown whether abv is involved. in this study we detected abv in 12 of 30 tested canary bird flocks (40%), indicating a wide distribution of abv in captive canary birds in germany. sequence analysis ide ... | 2013 | 23631925 |
| molecular characterization and distribution of plasmodium matutinum, a common avian malaria parasite. | species of plasmodium (plasmodiidae, haemosporida) are widespread and cause malaria, which can be severe in avian hosts. molecular markers are essential to detect and identify parasites, but still absent for many avian malaria and related haemosporidian species. here, we provide first molecular characterization of plasmodium matutinum, a common agent of avian malaria. this parasite was isolated from a naturally infected thrush nightingale luscinia luscinia (muscicapidae). fragments of mitochondr ... | 2017 | 28931453 |
| isolation of avipoxvirus from tongue of canaries ( serinus canaria) show severe localized proliferative glossitis. | poxvirus was the causative agent of two unusual outbreaks of proliferative glossitis in canary ( serinus canaria forma domestica) breeders in the northern italy. a total of 45, 7-9-mo-old canaries were submitted in fair postmortem conditions to the istituto zooprofilattico sperimentale delle venezie at the beginning of november 2005 for diagnostic investigation. birds belonged to two unrelated and geographically distant aviaries in northern italy, herein identified as aviary a and aviary b. the ... | 2017 | 29337622 |
| dissociable effects on birdsong of androgen signaling in cortex-like brain regions of canaries. | the neural basis of how learned vocalizations change during development and in adulthood represents a major challenge facing cognitive neuroscience. this plasticity in the degree to which learned vocalizations can change in both humans and songbirds is linked to the actions of sex steroid hormones during ontogeny but also in adulthood in the context of seasonal changes in birdsong. we investigated the role of steroid hormone signaling in the brain on distinct features of birdsong using adult mal ... | 2017 | 28821656 |
| lesions targeted to the anterior forebrain disrupt vocal variability associated with testosterone-induced sensorimotor song development in adult female canaries, serinus canaria. | learned communication was a trait observed in a limited number of vertebrates such as humans but also songbirds (i.e., species in the suborder passeri sometimes called oscines). robust male-biased sex-differences in song development and production have been observed in several songbird species. however, in some of these species treating adult females with testosterone (t) induced neuro-behavioral changes such that females become more male-like in brain and behavior. t-treatment in these adult fe ... | 2016 | 25864444 |
| the influence of substrate on the functional response of an avian granivore and its implications for farmland bird conservation. | few studies to date have considered the effect of substrate on the functional response of an organism feeding on prey of varying visibility. intake rates of lone captive canaries, serinus canarius l., were measured at varying seed densities on patches of either earth or short grass (<1 cm). experiment 1, using pale seeds, found intake rates were significantly higher and search times significantly lower on earth than on grass. two measures of crypticity (contrast in light reflectance as measured ... | 2002 | 28547267 |
| comprehensive molecular characterization of bacterial communities in feces of pet birds using 16s marker sequencing. | birds and other animals live and evolve in close contact with millions of microorganisms (microbiota). while the avian microbiota has been well characterized in domestic poultry, the microbiota of other bird species has been less investigated. the aim of this study was to describe the fecal bacterial communities of pet birds. pooled fecal samples from 22 flocks representing over 150 individual birds of three different species (melopsittacus undulatus or budgerigars, nymphicus hollandicus or cock ... | 2017 | 27568186 |
| genomic characterization of the first oral avian papillomavirus in a colony of breeding canaries (serinus canaria). | papillomaviruses are non-enveloped, dna viruses that infect skin and mucosa of a wide variety of vertebrates, causing neoplasias or simply persisting asymptomatically. avian papillomaviruses, with six fully sequenced genomes, are the second most studied group after mammalian papillomaviruses. in this study, we describe the first oral avian papillomavirus, detected in the tongue of a dead yorkshire canary (serinus canaria) and in oral swabs of the same bird and other two live canaries from an avi ... | 2018 | 29446002 |
| avian malaria and bird humoral immune response. | plasmodium parasites are known to impose fitness costs on their vertebrate hosts. some of these costs are due to the activation of the immune response, which may divert resources away from self-maintenance. plasmodium parasites may also immuno-deplete their hosts. thus, infected individuals may be less able to mount an immune response to a new pathogen than uninfected ones. however, this has been poorly investigated. | 2018 | 29426311 |
| no evidence that carotenoid pigments boost either immune or antioxidant defenses in a songbird. | dietary carotenoids have been proposed to boost immune system and antioxidant functions in vertebrate animals, but studies aimed at testing these physiological functions of carotenoids have often failed to find support. here we subject yellow canaries (serinus canaria), which possess high levels of carotenoids in their tissue, and white recessive canaries, which possess a knockdown mutation that results in very low levels of tissue carotenoids, to oxidative and pathogen challenges. across divers ... | 2018 | 29403051 |
| identification and genetic characterization of polyomaviruses in estrildid and fringillid finches. | polyomavirus infections were detected in 40 companion bird individuals belonging to a broad species range of estrildid and fringillid finches and originating from 21 different bird aviaries. based on partial virus protein 1 (vp1) sequences, the viruses were identified as serinus canaria polyomavirus 1 and pyrrhula pyrrhula polyomavirus 1. serinus canaria polyomavirus 1 was found in 18 birds belonging to one estrildid and four fringillid species. pyrrhula pyrrhula polyomavirus 1 was detected in 2 ... | 2018 | 29294182 |
| extraskeletal osteoma in a canary (serinus canaria). | osteoma is an uncommon bone tumor in avian species and other animals. a 2-year-old male canary (serinus canaria) with a history of an oval mass in the left wing for several months was examined. radiographs showed a radio-opaque mass. upon the bird's owner request, the canary was euthanatized and submitted for necropsy. the histopathologic examination revealed numerous trabeculae consisting of both woven and lamellar bone covered by one to several rows of normal osteoblasts. the trabeculae were c ... | 2017 | 29085616 |
| eggshell biliverdin and protoporphyrin pigments in a songbird: are they derived from erythrocytes, blood plasma, or the shell gland? | biliverdin and protoporphyrin pigments are deposited into the eggshell when the developing egg is in the shell gland. however, the site of synthesis of eggshell pigments is still uncertain, although it may influence the possible costs and potential functions of eggshell coloration in avian species. eggshell pigments may be derived from red blood cells or be produced in other organs and then transferred to the shell gland, or they may be synthesized de novo in the shell gland. we studied in the c ... | 2017 | 28937855 |
| high-density lipoprotein receptor scarb1 is required for carotenoid coloration in birds. | yellow, orange, and red coloration is a fundamental aspect of avian diversity and serves as an important signal in mate choice and aggressive interactions. this coloration is often produced through the deposition of diet-derived carotenoid pigments, yet the mechanisms of carotenoid uptake and transport are not well-understood. the white recessive breed of the common canary (serinus canaria), which carries an autosomal recessive mutation that renders its plumage pure white, provides a unique oppo ... | 2017 | 28465440 |
| circadian rhythm and stress response in droppings ofserinus canaria. | serinus canariais a widespread domestic ornamental songbird, whose limited knowledge of biology make compelling studies aimed to monitor stress. here, a commercial enzyme immunoassay was adopted to measure immunoreactive corticosterone (cort) in singleserinus canariadropping sample, to monitor the daily fecal excretion of cort in birds bred singly or in-group and to detect the effect promoted by aviary or small transport cage restraint. a robust daily rhythm of cort was recorded in animals held ... | 2016 | 28105380 |
| lombard effect onset times reveal the speed of vocal plasticity in a songbird. | animals that use vocal signals to communicate often compensate for interference and masking from background noise by raising the amplitude of their vocalisations. this response has been termed the lombard effect. however, despite more than a century of research, little is known how quickly animals can adjust the amplitude of their vocalisations after the onset of noise. the ability to respond quickly to increases in noise levels would allow animals to avoid signal masking and ensure their calls ... | 2017 | 28096429 |
| an integrated model for motor control of song in serinus canaria. | birdsong is a learned motor behavior controlled by an interconnected structure of neural nuclei. this pathway is bilaterally organized, with anatomically indistinguishable structures in each brain hemisphere. in this work, we present a computational model whose variables are the average activities of different neural nuclei of the song system of oscine birds. two of the variables are linked to the air sac pressure and the tension of the labia during canary song production. we show that these tim ... | 2016 | 27940209 |
| you know what? i'm happy. cognitive bias is not related to personality but is induced by pair-housing in canaries (serinus canaria). | recent studies suggest that cognitive bias could constitute a novel and valid measure of animal welfare. although interest for a link between personality and cognition is growing, no study to date investigated whether a cognitive bias might be related to the personality of the individuals. we trained 43 domestic canaries (serinus canaria) to discriminate between two sides of a test cage, each side being associated with a different value (attractive or aversive food in a dish). during the test ph ... | 2017 | 27697598 |
| aromatase inhibition rapidly affects in a reversible manner distinct features of birdsong. | recent evidence has implicated steroid hormones, specifically estrogens, in the rapid modulation of cognitive processes. songbirds have been a useful model system in the study of complex cognitive processes including birdsong, a naturally learned vocal behavior regulated by a discrete steroid-sensitive telencephalic circuitry. singing behavior is known to be regulated by long-term actions of estrogens but rapid steroid modulation of this behavior has never been examined. we investigated if acute ... | 2016 | 27573712 |
| 'out of tune': consequences of inbreeding on bird song. | the expression of bird song is expected to signal male quality to females. 'quality' is determined by genetic and environmental factors, but, surprisingly, there is very limited evidence if and how genetic aspects of male quality are reflected in song. here, we manipulated the genetic make-up of canaries (serinus canaria) via inbreeding, and studied its effects upon song output, complexity, phonetics and, for the first time, song learning. to this end, we created weight-matched inbred and outbre ... | 2016 | 27466453 |
| female signalling to male song in the domestic canary, serinus canaria. | most studies on sexual selection focus on male characteristics such as male song in songbirds. yet female vocalizations in songbirds are growing in interest among behavioural and evolutionary biologists because these vocalizations can reveal the female's preferences for male traits and may affect male display. this study was designed to test whether male song performance influences the different female signals in the domestic canary (serinus canaria). female canaries were exposed to three types ... | 2015 | 26064577 |
| a circular model for song motor control in serinus canaria. | song production in songbirds is controlled by a network of nuclei distributed across several brain regions, which drives respiratory and vocal motor systems to generate sound. we built a model for birdsong production, whose variables are the average activities of different neural populations within these nuclei of the song system. we focus on the predictions of respiratory patterns of song, because these can be easily measured and therefore provide a validation for the model. we test the hypothe ... | 2015 | 25904860 |
| hatching asynchrony aggravates inbreeding depression in a songbird (serinus canaria): an inbreeding-environment interaction. | understanding how the intensity of inbreeding depression is influenced by stressful environmental conditions is an important area of enquiry in various fields of biology. in birds, environmental stress during early development is often related to hatching asynchrony; differences in age, and thus size, impose a gradient in conditions ranging from benign (first hatched chick) to harsh (last hatched chick). here, we compared the effect of hatching order on growth rate in inbred (parents are full si ... | 2015 | 25689753 |
| does reproduction protect against oxidative stress? | a central principle of life-history theory is that parents trade investment in reproduction against that in body maintenance. one physiological cost thought to be important as a modulator of such trade-off is oxidative stress. experimental support for this hypothesis has, however, proved to be contradictory. in this study, we manipulated the nestling rearing effort of captive canaries (serinus canaria) soon after the hatching of their nestlings using a brood-size manipulation to test whether an ... | 2014 | 25359937 |
| reversing song behavior phenotype: testosterone driven induction of singing and measures of song quality in adult male and female canaries (serinus canaria). | in songbirds, such as canaries (serinus canaria), the song control circuit has been shown to undergo a remarkable change in morphology in response to exogenous testosterone (t). it is also well established that hvc, a telencephalic nucleus involved in song production, is significantly larger in males than in females. t regulates seasonal changes in hvc volume in males, and exposure to exogenous t in adult females increases hvc volume and singing activity such that their song becomes more male-li ... | 2015 | 25260250 |
| doublecortin is a highly valuable endogenous marker of adult neurogenesis in canaries. commentary on vellema m et al. (2014): evaluating the predictive value of doublecortin as a marker for adult neurogenesis in canaries (serinus canaria) . j comparative neurol 522:1299-1315. | | 2014 | 25034511 |
| dissociable effects of social context on song and doublecortin immunoreactivity in male canaries. | variation in environmental factors such as day length and social context greatly affects reproductive behavior and the brain areas that regulate these behaviors. one such behavior is song in songbirds, which males use to attract a mate during the breeding season. in these species the absence of a potential mate leads to an increase in the number of songs produced, while the presence of a mate greatly diminishes singing. interestingly, although long days promote song behavior, producing song itse ... | 2014 | 24974859 |
| motor control of sound frequency in birdsong involves the interaction between air sac pressure and labial tension. | frequency modulation is a salient acoustic feature of birdsong. its control is usually attributed to the activity of syringeal muscles, which affect the tension of the labia responsible for sound production. we use experimental and theoretical tools to test the hypothesis that for birds producing tonal sounds such as domestic canaries (serinus canaria), frequency modulation is determined by both the syringeal tension and the air sac pressure. for different models, we describe the structure of th ... | 2014 | 24730873 |
| quantitative integration of genetic factors in the learning and production of canary song. | learned bird song is influenced by inherited predispositions. the canary is a model system for the interaction of genes and learning on behaviour, especially because some strains have undergone artificial selection for song. in this study, roller canaries (bred for low-pitched songs) and border canaries (whose song is higher pitched, similar to the wild-type) were interbred and backcrossed to produce 58 males that sorted into seven genetically distinct groups. all males were tutored with the sam ... | 2014 | 24598419 |
| differential effects of global versus local testosterone on singing behavior and its underlying neural substrate. | steroid hormones regulate multiple but distinct aspects of social behaviors. testosterone (t) has multiple effects on learned courtship song in that it regulates both the motivation to sing in a particular social context as well as the quality of song produced. the neural substrate(s) where t acts to regulate the motivation to sing as opposed to other aspects of song has not been definitively characterized. we show here that t implants in the medial preoptic nucleus (pom) of castrated male canar ... | 2013 | 24218603 |
| evaluating the predictive value of doublecortin as a marker for adult neurogenesis in canaries (serinus canaria). | doublecortin (dcx) is an important microtubule-associated protein involved in the migration of young neurons into the cortical layers of the brain during early human development. the continued expression of dcx in brain areas with protracted neuron recruitment has promoted this endogenous protein as a popular indirect tool to monitor adult neurogenesis in a variety of species. however, little is known about its possible involvement in other cellular processes and a thorough validation of dcx as ... | 2014 | 24115109 |
| coadaptation of offspring begging and parental provisioning--an evolutionary ecological perspective on avian family life. | offspring begging and parental provisioning are the two central social behaviours expressed during the period of parental care. both behaviours influence each other and it is, therefore, hypothesized that they should ultimately become (genetically) correlated, stabilized by fitness costs to parents and/or offspring. by reciprocally exchanging entire clutches in canaries (serinus canaria), we tested (1) whether there is covariation between these behaviours and (2) whether a mismatch--as introduce ... | 2013 | 23894662 |
| clinical and laboratory practice for canaries and true finches. | the canary (serinus canaria) is a highly popular bird with families as a companion animal and among breeders for competitive purposes. the mortality rate in these animals is very high at the onset of an epidemic, and the technical times of a laboratory often necessitate starting treatment before having completed the diagnostic procedure. this article describes a practical approach that deals with the first things to do in the clinic as soon as the animal arrives or the breeder asks for advice an ... | 2013 | 23347538 |
| hvc lesions modify immediate early gene expression in auditory forebrain regions of female songbirds. | it is well established that auditory forebrain regions of oscine birds are essential for the encoding of species-typical songs and are, therefore, vital for recognition of song during sociosexual interactions. regions such as the caudal medial nidopallium (ncm) and the caudal medial mesopallium (cmm) are involved in perceptual processing of song and the formation of auditory memories. there is an additional telencephalic nucleus, however, that has also been implicated in species recognition. thi ... | 2013 | 23076815 |
| a species-specific view of song representation in a sensorimotor nucleus. | songbirds constitute a powerful model system for the investigation of how complex vocal communication sounds are represented and generated, offering a neural system in which the brain areas involved in auditory, motor and auditory-motor integration are well known. one brain area of considerable interest is the nucleus hvc. neurons in the hvc respond vigorously to the presentation of the bird's own song and display song-related motor activity. in the present paper, we present a synthesis of neuro ... | 2013 | 22960663 |
| bilateral coordination and the motor basis of female preference for sexual signals in canary song. | the preference of female songbirds for particular traits in the songs of courting males has received considerable attention, but the relationship of preferred traits to male quality is poorly understood. female domestic canaries (serinus canaria, linnaeus) preferentially solicit copulation with males that sing special high repetition rate, wide-band, multi-note syllables, called 'sexy' or a-syllables. syllables are separated by minibreaths but each note is produced by pulsatile expiration, allow ... | 2012 | 22875764 |
| cloacal fibrosarcoma in a canary (serinus canaria). | a 1-year-old, male canary (serinus canaria) with a history of an enlarged abdomen of several days duration died acutely and was submitted for necropsy. results revealed a yellow to tan hard mass, 2 cm in diameter, adherent to the cloacal wall. histologically, the mass was composed of interlacing bundles of pleomorphic spindle cells with numerous and bizarre mitotic figures. neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and negative for desmin and actin and showed ultrastructural features (dilated ... | 2011 | 22458183 |
| food conditions affect yolk testosterone deposition but not incubation attendance. | in many bird species with hatching asynchrony, yolk androgens increase across the laying sequence. this has been hypothesized to represent a compensatory mechanism for disadvantages of later-hatching chicks - via positive effects of yolk androgens on early competitiveness and growth. however, the costs and benefits of this compensatory strategy probably depend on environmental factors determining the survival chances of the chicks such as the food conditions, which should, therefore, influence m ... | 2012 | 22265816 |
| is food recognition in an unfamiliar environment a long-term effect of stimulus or local enhancement? a study in the juvenile canary. | the processes involved in the social transmission of recognition and consumption of hemp seeds were investigated in juvenile canaries (serinus canarius). the combined influences of observation of a parent feeding, presence of parent and accessibility of seeds on future seed consumption were investigated in six experimental conditions (each employing 15 individuals). we found that: (i) local enhancement and social facilitation were not required for social transmission, (ii) transmission took plac ... | 1998 | 24896005 |
| west nile virus infection in american singer canaries: an experimental model in a highly susceptible avian species. | this study investigated the susceptibility of american singer canaries ( serinus canaria) to west nile virus (wnv) infection. adult canaries were inoculated with 105, 102, and 101plaque forming units (pfu) of wnv. all birds became infected and mortality occurred by 5 days postinoculation. the load of viral rna as determined by rt-qpcr was dose dependent, and was higher at all doses than the level of viral rna detected in american crows ( corvus brachyrhynchos) challenged with 105pfu of wnv. in a ... | 2018 | 29506438 |
| increased genetic diversity of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) isolated from companion animals. | the aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) that originated from austrian companion animals during the last five-year period. a total of 90 non-repetitive mrsa isolates were obtained during diagnostic activities from autumn 2013 to autumn 2018. they originated from horses (n = 62), cats (n = 13), dogs (n = 10), rabbits (n = 2), a domestic canary, a zoo-kept hammer-headed bat (hypsignathus monstrosus) and a semi-captive north ... | 2019 | 31282369 |
| reproductive success of the canarian echium simplex (boraginaceae) mediated by vertebrates and insects. | oceanic island ecosystems favour the appearance of novel interactions as a consequence of their depauperate and disharmonic flora and fauna. we investigated echium simplex, endemic to the anaga biosphere reserve in ne tenerife, canary islands, belongs to the canarian bird-flower element. along two flowering seasons, we studied the breeding system of e. simplex, identified the floral visitors and compared the pollination effectiveness of different animal guilds (insects versus vertebrates) by mea ... | 2019 | 30334319 |
| parasitological and molecular survey of scattered parasitism by trichomonads in some avian species in iran. | outbreaks of avian trichomonosis are being reported worldwide; meanwhile, the genetic and virulence variations are under investigation. in this study, the occurrence and genetic variability of oral or faecal trichomonads among various avian species were investigated. samples obtained from either the oropharyngeal cavity, crop/oesophagus, droppings/cloaca, or conjunctival swabs of avian species were inspected for flagellates. phylogenetic analysis of partial its1-5.8s rrna-its2 sequences from sel ... | 2020 | 31486682 |
| outbreak of systemic avian pox in canaries (serinus canaria domestica) associated with the b1 subgroup of avian pox viruses. | this study reports an outbreak of avian pox in a quarantine of canaries imported from europe, with a mortality of 30% and clinical signs of dyspnea and blepharoconjunctivitis. during necropsy, beak cyanosis, serous blepharitis, caseous sinusitis, oropharyngitis, tracheitis, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, fibrinous airsacculitis, and splenomegaly were observed. microscopically, edema, epithelial hyperplasia, hydropic degeneration, and vacuolated eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies were fo ... | 2019 | 31967439 |
| domestic canaries (serinus canaria forma domestica) are susceptible to low pathogenic avian influenza virus infections. | avian influenza viruses have been isolated from many bird species; however, little is known about the susceptibility of pet birds to low pathogenic avian influenza (lpai) viruses. to address this research gap, domestic canaries (serinus canaria forma domestica) were experimentally infected with h5 and h7 lpai viruses to determine susceptibility and to evaluate samples for diagnostic purposes. clinical evidence of infection (e.g. ruffled plumage and apathy) and mortality were noted for the canari ... | 2018 | 30207746 |
| sex-and region-dependent expression of the autism-linked adnp correlates with social- and speech-related genes in the canary brain. | the activity-dependent neuroprotective protein (adnp) syndrome is an autistic-like disorder, instigated by mutations in adnp. this syndrome is characterized by developmental delays, impairments in speech, motor function, abnormal hearing, and intellectual disabilities. in the adnp-haploinsufficient mouse model, many of these impediments are evident, appearing in a sex-dependent manner. in zebra finch songbird (zf; taeniopygia guttata), an animal model used for song/language studies, adnp mrna mo ... | 2020 | 32926339 |
| effects of inactivation of the periaqueductal gray on song production in testosterone-treated male canaries (serinus canaria). | male canaries (serinus canaria) display seasonal changes in the motivation to sing which have been found to be dependent on the action of testosterone (t). during the breeding season when t is high, males sing at a higher rate compared with males with low t. the effect of t on song rate is known to be mediated by the medial preoptic nucleus (pom); however, it is unclear how t signaling in pom impacts song production. one potential mechanism is via modulation of dopaminergic input into song contr ... | 2020 | 32737183 |
| isospora oliveirai n. sp. (chromista: miozoa: eimeriidae) from the greenish schiffornis schiffornis virescens (lafresnaye, 1838) (passeriformes: tyranni: tityridae) in south america. | coccidia are obligatory intracellular parasites with at least one intestinal phase in their life cycles, being isospora schneider, 1881 the main coccidian genus related to the order passeriformes. however, there is no record of isosporans from the passerine family tityridae, which is the family of the greenish schiffornis schiffornis virescens (lafresnaye, 1838). | 2020 | 32494953 |
| dynamical model for the neural activity of singing serinus canaria. | vocal production in songbirds is a key topic regarding the motor control of a complex, learned behavior. birdsong is the result of the interaction between the activity of an intricate set of neural nuclei specifically dedicated to song production and learning (known as the "song system"), the respiratory system and the vocal organ. these systems interact and give rise to precise biomechanical motor gestures which result in song production. telencephalic neural nuclei play a key role in the produ ... | 2020 | 32491906 |
| are offspring begging levels exaggerated beyond the parental optimum? evidence from a bidirectional selection experiment. | parental care involves elaborate behavioural interactions between parents and their offspring, with offspring stimulating their parents via begging to provision resources. thus, begging has direct fitness benefits as it enhances offspring growth and survival. it is nevertheless subject to a complex evolutionary trajectory, because begging may serve as a means for the offspring to manipulate parents in the context of evolutionary conflicts of interest. furthermore, it has been hypothesized that b ... | 2020 | 32236996 |
| development of perineuronal nets during ontogeny correlates with sensorimotor vocal learning in canaries. | songbirds are a powerful model to study vocal learning given that aspects of the underlying behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms are analogous in many ways to mechanisms involved in speech learning. perineuronal nets (pnns) represent one of the mechanisms controlling the closing of sensitive periods for vocal learning in the songbird brain. in zebra finches, pnn develop around parvalbumin (pv)-expressing interneurons in selected song control nuclei during ontogeny and their development is d ... | 2020 | 32169884 |
| experimental usutu virus infection in domestic canaries serinus canaria. | usutu virus (usuv) is a neurotropic flavivirus closely related to west nile virus (wnv). its enzootic cycle mainly involves mosquitoes and birds. human infection can occur with occasional, but sometimes severe, neurological complications. since its emergence and spread in europe over the last two decades, usuv has been linked to significant avian outbreaks, especially among passeriformes, including european blackbirds (turdus merula). strikingly, no in vivo avian model exists so far to study thi ... | 2020 | 32023880 |
| genetic basis of de novo appearance of carotenoid ornamentation in bare parts of canaries. | unlike wild and domestic canaries (serinus canaria), or any of the three dozen species of finches in genus serinus, the domestic urucum breed of canaries exhibits bright red bills and legs. this novel trait offers a unique opportunity to understand the mechanisms of bare-part coloration in birds. to identify the mutation producing the colorful phenotype, we resequenced the genome of urucum canaries and performed a range of analyses to search for genotype-to-phenotype associations across the geno ... | 2020 | 31930402 |
| seasonal changes of perineuronal nets and song learning in adult canaries (serinus canaria). | songbirds learn their song during a sensitive period of development associated with enhanced neural plasticity. in addition, in open-ended learners such as canaries, a sensitive period for sensorimotor vocal learning reopens each year in the fall and leads to song modifications between successive breeding seasons. the variability observed in song production across seasons in adult canaries correlates with seasonal fluctuations of testosterone concentrations and with morphological changes in nucl ... | 2020 | 31857148 |
| experimental study of micro-habitat selection by ixodid ticks feeding on avian hosts. | mechanisms of on-host habitat selection of parasites are important to the understanding of host-parasite interactions and evolution. to this end, it is important to separate the factors driving parasite micro-habitat selection from those resulting from host anti-parasite behaviour. we experimentally investigated whether tick infestation patterns on songbirds are the result of an active choice by the ticks themselves, or the outcome of songbird grooming behaviour. attachment patterns of three ixo ... | 2019 | 31734336 |
| intraspecific variation in testosterone-induced neuroplasticity in two canary strains. | temperate zone songbird species, such as the canary (serinus canaria), can serve as model systems to investigate adult seasonal plasticity in brain and behavior. an increase in day length, experienced by canaries in the early spring stimulates gonadal recrudescence and an associated increase in circulating testosterone concentrations. this increase in plasma testosterone results in marked morphological changes in well-defined neural circuitry regulating reproductive behaviors including birdsong ... | 2020 | 31647924 |
| characteristics of song, brain-anatomy and blood androgen levels in spontaneously singing female canaries. | females of many northern temperate songbird species sing sporadically. however, detailed descriptions of female song are rare. here we report a detailed analysis of song in a small number of spontaneously-singing female domesticated canaries (serinus canaria) under non-breeding, laboratory conditions in a large population of domesticated birds. in-depth analysis showed that these females sang rarely, and the spontaneous songs varied between and within birds over time. furthermore, spontaneous fe ... | 2020 | 31647922 |
| parasitism of the nasal mite sternostoma tracheacolum lawrence, 1948 (mesostigmata: rhinonyssidae) in captive birds in brazil. | nasal mites (mesostigmata: rhinonyssidae) are obligatory endoparasites of birds, and the resulting parasitism can be harmful to the host's respiratory system. the nasal mite sternostoma tracheacolum lawrence has caused significant respiratory issues, including serious injuries that possibly cause death of the host. in this study, we report two cases of captive birds parasitized by s. tracheacolum. the first case is a histopathological description of s. tracheacolum parasitizing the gouldian finc ... | 2020 | 31365721 |
| detection of avian bornavirus in wild and captive passeriformes in brazil. | avian bornaviruses (abvs) are the causative agents of proventricular dilatation disease (pdd), a fatal neurologic disease considered to be a major threat to psittacine bird populations. we performed a reverse transcription pcr survey to detect the presence of canary avian bornavirus (cnbv) in birds of order passeriformes related to different clinical manifestations, such as sudden death, neurologic signs, apathy, anorexia, excessive beak growth, and pdd. a total of 227 samples from captive and w ... | 2019 | 31251529 |
| population differences in susceptibility to plasmodium relictum in zebra finches taeniopygia guttata. | domesticated australian and timor zebra finches (taeniopygia guttata castanotis and taeniopygia guttata guttata, respectively) were inoculated with canary (serinus canaria) blood containing a hawaiian isolate of plasmodium relictum (lineage grw04), a hemoparasite that causes avian malaria. in two experimental trials, tzfs but not azfs developed parasitemia that was detected by microscopic examination of blood smears. in the second trial, in which molecular detection methods were used, a single a ... | 2018 | 31119918 |
| effects of song experience and song quality on immediate early gene expression in female canaries (serinus canaria). | female songbirds are thought to make mate choices based on aspects of male song quality. male canaries (serinus canaria) produce songs with "special" syllables that have been shown to be highly salient to female listeners - eliciting high rates of sexual displays and enhanced immediate early gene (ieg) expression. immunohistochemistry for the ieg zenk was used to examine the effects of experience with these syllables on activity in the caudal mesopallium (cmm) and nidocaudal mesopallium (ncm), t ... | 2019 | 31070003 |
| testing the resource trade-off hypothesis for carotenoid-based signal honesty using genetic variants of the domestic canary. | carotenoid-based coloration in birds is widely considered an honest signal of individual condition, but the mechanisms responsible for condition dependency in such ornaments remain debated. currently, the most common explanation for how carotenoid coloration serves as a reliable signal of condition is the resource trade-off hypothesis, which proposes that use of carotenoids for ornaments reduces their availability for use by the immune system or for protection from oxidative damage. however, two ... | 2019 | 30877227 |
| flexible communication within bird families-the consequences of behavioral plasticity for parent-offspring coadaptation. | offspring are selected to demand more resources than what is optimal for their parents to provide, which results in a complex and dynamic interplay during parental care. parent-offspring communication often involves conspicuous begging by the offspring which triggers a parental response, typically the transfer of food. so begging and parental provisioning reciprocally influence each other and are therefore expected to coevolve. there is indeed empirical evidence for covariation of offspring begg ... | 2019 | 30680149 |