Do male and female cowbirds see their world differently? Implications for sex differences in the sensory system of an avian brood parasite.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Male and female avian brood parasites are subject to different selection pressures: males compete for mates but do not provide parental care or territories and only females locate hosts to lay eggs. This sex difference may affect brain architecture in some avian brood parasites, but relatively little is known about their sensory systems and behaviors used to obtain sensory information. Our goal was to study the visual resolution and visual information gathering behavior (i.e., scanning) of brown-headed cowbirds.

Methodology/principal findings

We measured the density of single cone photoreceptors, associated with chromatic vision, and double cone photoreceptors, associated with motion detection and achromatic vision. We also measured head movement rates, as indicat

SUBMITTER: Fernandez-Juricic E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3609808 | biostudies-literature | 2013

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature