title: Behavior, natural history and neuroendocrinology of a tropical bird.
abstract: Male Golden-collared manakins (Manacus vitellinus) of Panama perform an acrobatic and noisy courtship display, the result of an intense process of sexual selection. These birds have a lek mating system with the reproductive success of males depending almost entirely on their courtship. We have studied this remarkable behavior and investigated seasonal cycles of testosterone secretion, hormonal activation of courtship and neuromuscular adaptations that underlie the performance of male courtship behavior. We describe these studies in the context of the natural history of this fascinating lowland tropical species. Our studies have shown that manakin courtship requires a series of morphological and physiological specializations and represents an exceptional model system for studying the hormonal control of elaborate courtship displays.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Science, Laboratory of Neuroendocrinology of the Brain Research Institute, University of California, 621 Charles Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA. schlinge@lifesci.ucla.edu
authors.forename: Barney A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Schlinger
authors.forename: Lainy B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: Leonida
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fusani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009452:Neuroendocrinology; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D020308:Songbirds / Q000502:physiology*; D014329:Tropical Climate