Parent-offspring interactions in willow grouse (Lagopus l. lagopus)

Hugh M. Allen

Department of Physiology, University of Bergen, Norway. May 1980

CONTENTS
Preface
General Survey
References
 List of articles
    1. H.M.Allen, C.Boggs, E.Norris & M.Doering; Parental behaviour of captive Willow Grouse Lagopus l. lagopus. Ornis Scandinavica,8, 175-183, 1977. Abstract
      2.  
       
    2. H.M.Allen; Abnormal parental behaviour of captive male Willow Grouse Lagopus l. lagopus. Ibis,119, 199-200, 1977. Abstract
      3.  
       
    3. H.M.Allen, K.A.Stokkan & H.Stalsberg; Egg incubation by a Willow Grouse cock. Astarte,11, 1-5, 1978. Abstract
      4.  
       
    4. H.M.Allen & H.Parker; Willow Ptarmigan remove broken eggs from the nest. The Auk. 94, 612-613, 1977.
      5.  
       
    5. H.M.Allen & J.Ness; The fate of abnormal eggs in nests of captive Willow Grouse hens. Astarte,11, 89-91, 1978. Abstract
      6.  
       
    6. A.M.Allen; The response of Willow Grouse chicks to auditory stimuli. 1. Preference for hen calls. Behavioural Processes,2, 27-32, 1977. Abstract
      7.  
       
    7. H.M.Allen; The response of Willow Grouse chicks to auditory stimuli. 2. Synthesized brooding calls attract machine-incubated chicks. Behavioural Processes,4, 23-33, 1979. Abstract
      8.  
       
    8. H.M.Allen; The response of Willow Grouse chicks to auditory stimuli. 3. Recognition of the incubating hen's voice. Behavioural Processes,5, 1980, in press. Abstract
      9.  
       
    9. H.M.Allen; Auditory and visual cues in the initiation of Willow Grouse brooding periods. Astarte, 12, 1980, in press. Abstract
 

[Paper I]
Abstract The parental behaviour of four wild pairs of Willow Grouse, maintained in captivity near Tromsø in northern Norway, is described. Two pairs bred normally in outdoor enclosures in, June, while two, maintained indoors under artificial light, bred successfully in late autumn and early spring, respectively. All four hens laid full clutches, and all but one incubated them. Her eggs were incubated and the chicks subsequently brooded by the cock. The incubating birds were more active, and called more, just before hatching. In some cases they left the nest while individual chicks hatched. Hatching success was relatively low, but the chicks, which did hatch were brooded effectively, usually by the hen. The results are discussed in relation to other studies of grouse breeding.
 
 
[Paper II]
Abstract In Willow Grouse Lagopus l. lagopus, as in the other Lagopus species, the hen alone incubates the eggs, leaving the nest only to defaecate and feed. The cock stands nearby to defend the nest area against predators and normally takes no direct part in egg or chick (Johnsgard 1973, Watson & jenkins 1964). This note discusses two cases of abnormal incubation and chick care by captive Willow Grouse cocks at the University of Tromsø's ,Wildlife Research Station.
 
 
[Paper III]
Abstract A captive willow grouse cock began to incubate a clutch of eggs temporarily abandoned by the hen. When these were replaced by infertile eggs, he continued with the full range of incubation activities until killed. The cock showed a delay in spring to summer moulting, and histological examination displayed changes in testis compared with a normal cock, as well as a functional brood patch.
 
 
[Paper V]
Abstract A number of abnormal or altered eggs were placed in nests of captive willow grouse living in cages and incubating their own eggs. Some Of these eggs were also incubated while others were removed and in some cases eaten by the birds. Some abnormally coloured eggs laid by the hens were also removed by them.
 
 
Paper VI
ABSTRACT Willow grouse (Lagopus lagopus lagopus) chicks newly hatched from mechanically incubated eggs were exposed to different combinations of sounds in a heated runway. They approached a loudspeaker playing grouse hen calls, which they had never beard, in preference to one playing the noise of the hatching machine from which they had just been removed. Similarly they preferred the hen call to another novel sound. When the three sounds were played singly instead of in pairs, only the hen call was approached.
 
 
Paper VII
ABSTRACT Willow grouse (Lagopus l. lagopus) chicks appear to possess a 'template' of the hen's brooding call. Chicks newly hatched from machine-incubated eggs were therefore exposed to a number of electronically synthesized approximations to brooding calls. These sounds were either paired with a recording of a grouse hen's brooding call, or were played alone. Some of the synthesized calls (repetitive, low-frequency) attracted chicks, while others appeared to be aversive. None of the synthesized calls drew chicks away from the recorded hen call. These results suggest that grouse chicks will approach a wide range of attraction calls which have certain minimum features.
 
 
Paper VIII
ABSTRACT Willow grouse chicks were removed from the nests of captive hens, either at hatching or less than 24 hours later. They were tested for their ability to discriminate, and preference for, the voice of the hen which had incubated them, and the voice of another hen grouse. The chicks removed at hatching approached and tried to nestle under the loudspeaker playing the calls of their own hens. The chicks, which had remained with their hens and been brooded by them were indifferent to the recording of their voices, but tended to avoid the voice of the unknown hen.
 
 
[Paper IX]
Abstract Newly-hatched willow grouse chicks were observed in an indoor enclosure, which contained a stuffed and mounted hen grouse and a hen grouse model with a loudspeaker. Chicks ignored the hen and the model until attraction calls were played through the loudspeaker, whereupon they approached the model and nestled under it. When the model was warmed by circulating water, the chicks remained under it even after the sound ceased, but left the cold model as soon as it was silent. The results are discussed in terms of the chicks' need to find the hen for brooding, under difficult natural conditions.


opp LOGO

Dissertation Database - Bergen University Library