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Editor's choice Uropygial gland volatiles facilitate species recognition between two sympatric sibling bird species

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  • Yao-Hua Zhang
  • Yu-Feng Du
  • Jian-Xu Zhang

Abstract

Visual and acoustic cues in birds have been well documented to play a role in species recognition between closely related bird species. Here, we aimed to test whether chemical cues also play a role in avian species recognition between 2 sympatric sibling species of waxwings, Bombycilla garrulus and Bombycilla japonica. Using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, we characterized from uropygial gland secretions 38 compounds that were quantitatively divergent between species and exhibited sex differences within species. Nine major compounds, including 6 linear alkanols and 3 carboxylic acids, which accounted for more than 85% of all compounds were used for simulation of the scents. Female B. garrulus exhibited a striking preference for their mirror images scented with either conspecific body odor or its synthetic analogs and avoided the scents of the sibling species B. japonica in a Y-maze olfactometer. Our results suggest that the volatile components of uropygial gland secretions have diverged in composition and these differences contribute to species recognition between sympatric sibling bird species and subsequently affect the likehood of speciation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yao-Hua Zhang & Yu-Feng Du & Jian-Xu Zhang, 2013. "Editor's choice Uropygial gland volatiles facilitate species recognition between two sympatric sibling bird species," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 24(6), pages 1271-1278.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:beheco:v:24:y:2013:i:6:p:1271-1278.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/beheco/art068
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Nicole E. Rafferty & Janette Wenrick Boughman, 2006. "Olfactory mate recognition in a sympatric species pair of three-spined sticklebacks," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 17(6), pages 965-970, November.
    2. Piotr Matyjasiak, 2005. "Birds associate species-specific acoustic and visual cues: recognition of heterospecific rivals by male blackcaps," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 16(2), pages 467-471, March.
    3. Danielle J. Whittaker & Helena A. Soini & Jonathan W. Atwell & Craig Hollars & Milos V. Novotny & Ellen D. Ketterson, 2010. "Songbird chemosignals: volatile compounds in preen gland secretions vary among individuals, sexes, and populations," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 21(3), pages 608-614.
    4. Danielle J. Whittaker & Kaitlin M. Richmond & Allison K. Miller & Ryan Kiley & Christine Bergeon Burns & Jonathan W. Atwell & Ellen D. Ketterson, 2011. "Intraspecific preen oil odor preferences in dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis)," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 22(6), pages 1256-1263.
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