Research On Reproductive Behavior And Sex Hormone In Capitive Great Bustard(Otis Tarda)

From April to August 2010 the behavior of 9 Great Bustard which have good health were studied in Changchun Zoological and Botanical Gardens, at the sametime collected excrement to extract hormone.Using independent sample T test to analysis the differences of behaviors time budget of the same breeding periods between male and female and the same sex between different breeding periods.Using the radioimmunoassay method to analysis sex hormone,including Testosterone, Progesterone and Estradiol. Pourpose of this study is to find out the relationship between reproductive behavior and sex hormone.The results showed that the behaviors time budget and activity rhythm of great bustard were oregularly in some degree, feeding mostly occurs in the middle of the morning and afternoon sessions, flaunting and hatching mostly occurs in the morning and evening, and resting mostly occurs in the noon time.During breeding prophase, great bustard spent its time mainly on standing, lie and walking, and the male and female spent 80.63% and 66.34%of the time on the 3 behaviors, respectively.The time budget of male changed greatly during the breeding anaphase,90.41% of the time siting in nest to incubation and incubation feeding,alerting behaviors have obvious rhythm,however, The male still spent its time mainly on standing, lie and walking (59.23%). The study also showed that the behaviors time budget exited differences not only male and female,but also the breeding prophase and breeding anaphase.The mean levels of testosterone, progesterone and estradiol are 28.97±21.76 ng/dl, 285.92±205.08 ng/ml,1224.99±620.25pg/ml in breeding season.Durin breeding time there are some difference of levels of testosterone and progesterone among different ages.The levels of estradiol were no significant differences in different ages of Great Bustard females, The levels of progesterone and estradiol were no significant differences in the Great Bustard females of the same age. It is found that the walking and feeding behavior are significant difference of the change of the concentration of the progesterone (P<0.05).There is significant diffenence of the male walking and preening behavior correlation of the testosterone's concentration (P<0.05).The other behaviors are not significantly related to sex hormones.