Sains Malaysiana 50(5)(2021): 1211-1220

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2021-5005-02

 

Age-Related Testosterone Changes and Corresponding Song Patterns in Red-whiskered Bulbul (Pycnonotus jocosus Linnaeus, 1758)

(Perubahan Testosteron Berkait-Umur dan Pola Lagu Sepadan bagi Merbah Berjambang Merah (Pycnonotus jocosus Linnaeus, 1758))

 

PANAS TUMKIRATIWONG1, DARIKA MANATHAMKAMON1, RATTANAWAT CHAIYARAT2 & KAN KHOOMSAB3*

 

1Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand

 

2Faculty of Environment and Resource Studies, Mahidol University, Salaya Campus, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand

 

3Education Science Program, Faculty of Science and Technology, Phetchabun Rajabhat University, Phetchabun 67000, Thailand

 

Received: 17 June 2020/Accepted: 2 October 2020

 

ABSTRACT

We monitored total testosterone profiles and song patterns of 12 males and 2 females Red-whiskered Bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus), aged 5-10 months. Each bird was maintained in a cage sized of 38 × 38 × 50 cm and raised in a 22 °C-controlled room-sized of 6 × 10 × 3.5 m. The song prototype was played during 0700-11.00 h, with an amplifier-connected loudspeaker placed at the center and the song was recorded during both 1100-1200 and 1300-1500 h, and then their sonograms were analyzed with Avisoft SAS Lab Pro, version 4.3. Feces were collected monthly and immediately following recording their songs to determine male and female total testosterone levels by radioimmunoassay. The results demonstrated that an average of a frequency that the male and the female birds produced was 4.27 ± 0.13 kHz with a frequency range of 1.50 - 5.18 kHz. The males aged 8-10 months old produced songs with an average of 25.83 syllables/10 s, similar to those found in the song prototype while the females produced those with an average of 18.33 syllables/10 s. The males produced songs consisting of more syllables and fewer intervals than those of the females. The coefficient of correlations between the mean total testosterone levels with the syllables/10 s and intervals/10 s were +0.68 and -0.69, respectively. Additionally, the male Red-whiskered Bulbuls created the complicated and various song types that corresponded well with the marked increases in the total testosterone levels at the age of 8 to 10 months old.

 

Keywords: Phrase; red-whiskered Bulbul; song type, syllable; total testosterone

 

ABSTRAK

Kami memantau jumlah profil testosteron dan pola lagu bagi 12 ekor burung jantan dan 2 ekor burung betina Merbah berjambang merah (Pycnonotus jocosus), berumur 5-10 bulan. Setiap burung diletakkan di dalam sangkar berukuran 38 × 38 × 50 cm dan dibesarkan di dalam bilik bersuhu 22 °C berukuran 6 × 10 × 3.5 m. Prototip lagu dimainkan pada waktu 0700-1100 jam dengan pembesar suara yang disambungkan kepada amplifier yang diletakkan di tengah dan lagu tersebut dirakam selama 1100-1200 dan 1300-1500 jam, kemudian rakaman sonogram dianalisis dengan menggunakan Avisoft SAS Lab Pro, versi 4.3. Najis burung juga dikumpulkan segera bagi setiap bulan berdasarkan rakaman lagu-lagu mereka untuk menentukan jumlah tahap testosteron jantan dan betina melalui radioimunoasai. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa rata-rata frekuensi yang dihasilkan bagi burung jantan dan betina adalah 4.27 ± 0.13 kHz dengan julat frekuensi 1.50-5.18 kHz. Burung jantan berusia 8-10 bulan menghasilkan lagu dengan rata-rata 25.83 suku kata/10 s, serupa dengan prototip lagu sementara burung betina menghasilkan lagu dengan rata-rata 18.33 suku kata/10 s. Burung jantan menghasilkan lagu dengan lebih banyak suku kata tetapi selang waktu yang lebih sedikit berbanding burung betina. Pekali korelasi antara tahap keseluruhan testosteron dengan suku kata/10 s dan selang/10 s masing-masing adalah +0.68 dan -0.69. Selain itu, burung Merbah jantan berjambang merah menghasilkan jenis lagu yang rumit dan pelbagai yang sesuai dengan peningkatan ketara dalam tahap testosteron pada usia 8 hingga 10 bulan.

 

Kata kunci: Frasa; jenis lagu; jumlah testosteron; Merbah berjambang merah; suku kata

 

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*Corresponding author; email: topkan13@hotmail.com

   

 

 

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