| Abstract: | Knowledge of the many physiological factors associated with egg production , fertility, incubation, and brooding in nondomestic birds is limited. Science knows even less about reproduction in most of the 238 endangered or threatened birds. This discussion uses studies of nondomestic and, when necessary, domestic birds to describe physiological control of reproduction. Studies of the few nondomestic avian species show large variation in physiological control of reproduction. Aviculturists, in order to successfully propagate an endangered bird, must understand the bird‘s reproductive peculiarities. First, investigators can do studies with carefully chosen surrogate species, but eventually they need to confirm the results in the target endangered bird. Studies of reproduction in nondomestic birds increased in the last decade. Still, scientists need to do more comparative studies to understand the mechanisms that control reproduction in birds. New technologies are making it possible to study reproductive physiology of nondomestic species in less limiting ways. These technologies include telemetry to collect information without inducing stress on captives (Howey et al., 1987; Klugman, 1987), new tests for most of the humoral factors associated with reproduction, and the skill to collect small samples and manipulate birds without disrupting the physiological mechanisms (Bercovitz et al., 1985). Managers are using knowledge from these studies to improve propagation in zoological parks, private and public propagation facilities, and research institutions. Researchers need to study the control of ovulation, egg formation, and oviposition in the species of nondomestic birds that lay very few eggs in a season, hold eggs in the oviduct for longer intervals, or differ in other ways from the more thoroughly studied domestic birds. Other techniques that would enhance propagation for nondomestlc birds include tissue culture of cloned embryonic cells, cryopreservation of embryos and gametes, embryo transplant, DNA analysis and manipulation, disease screening and control, and improved release conditioning methods. |
| Genre: | Book chapter |
| ProdID: | 5210526 |
| Citation Author: | Gee, G.F. |
| Citation Contributing Office: | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Citation Datum: | |
| Citation Day: | |
| Citation Edition: | |
| Citation Editor: | Gibbons, Edward F., = Jr.; Durrant, Barbara S.; Demarest, Jack (editors) |
| Citation End Page: | 262 |
| Citation Issue: | |
| Citation Keywords: | |
| Citation Language: | English |
| Citation Larger Work Title: | Conservation of Endangered Species in Captivity: An Interdisciplinary Approach |
| Citation LatN: | |
| Citation LatS: | |
| Citation LonE: | |
| Citation LonW: | |
| Citation Month: | |
| Citation No Pagination: | |
| Citation Number Of Pages: | |
| Citation Online Only Flag: | |
| Citation Phsyical Description: | xiv, 810 |
| Citation Projection: | |
| Citation Public Comments: | OCLC 29219655 |
| Citation Publisher: | State University of New York Press |
| Citation Series: | |
| Citation Series Code: | |
| Citation Series Number: | |
| Citation Search Results Text: | Avian reproductive physiology; 1995; Book chapter; Conservation of Endangered Species in Captivity: An Interdisciplinary Approach; Gee, G.F. |
| Citation Start Page: | 241 |
| Citation Volume: | |
| Citation Year: | 1995 |
| Type: | citation/reference |
| Text: | Avian reproductive physiology; 1995; Book chapter; Conservation of Endangered Species in Captivity: An Interdisciplinary Approach; Gee, G.F. |
| URL (THUMBNAIL): | http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/thumbnails/outside_thumb.jpg |
| Date Other: | Tue, 9 Jun 2009 09:23 -0500 |
| Publisher: | State University of New York Press |
