Effect of the presence of females on the pituitary-testicular activity in male Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica).

Five experiments were carried out to study the role of the presence of a female on the reproductive endocrinology of male Japanese quail. In the first three experiments, exposure of an adult male raised in long days to a female for l0 min or l week failed to increase plasma testosterone and LH levels; in fact a significant transitory decrease in plasma testosterone was observed, associated with a preceding increase in plasma corticosterone. These changes are interpreted as a result of the stress caused by repeated bleeding or by the continuous presence of a female in a limited space. In the last two experiments, an increase in the maturation rate of immature males could be observed in birds maintained in the continuous presence of females by comparison with birds kept in isolation. The paired males had larger cloacal glands and testes and higher plasma levels of testosterone and LH than the isolated one. This effect of the female was observed in long days (l6L:8D) as well as in marginally stimulating short days (l2L:l2D).