title: Cognitive ecology in hummingbirds: the role of sexual dimorphism and its anatomical correlates on memory.
abstract: In scatter-hoarding species, several behavioral and neuroanatomical adaptations allow them to store and retrieve thousands of food items per year. Nectarivorous animals face a similar scenario having to remember quality, location and replenishment schedules of several nectar sources. In the green-backed firecrown hummingbird (Sephanoides sephanoides), males are territorial and have the ability to accurately keep track of nectar characteristics of their defended food sources. In contrast, females display an opportunistic strategy, performing rapid intrusions into males territories. In response, males behave aggressively during the non-reproductive season. In addition, females have higher energetic demands due to higher thermoregulatory costs and travel times. The natural scenario of this species led us to compared cognitive abilities and hippocampal size between males and females. Males were able to remember nectar location and renewal rates significantly better than females. However, the hippocampal formation was significantly larger in females than males. We discuss these findings in terms of sexually dimorphic use of spatial resources and variable patterns of brain dimorphisms in birds.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile; Instituto de Filosofía y Ciencias de la Complejidad, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Paulina L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: González-Gómez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Madrid-Lopez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Salazar
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Filosofía y Ciencias de la Complejidad, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Razeto-Barry
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mpodozis
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ecología, MIII & LINCGlobal, Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Ecología & Biodiversidad, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bozinovic
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Rodrigo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Vásquez
mesh_terms: D063147:Animal Distribution; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D003071:Cognition; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009929:Organ Size; D057048:Plant Nectar / Q000378:metabolism; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013731:Territoriality
chemical_list: D057048:Plant Nectar