Fear and stress measurements in pure and hybrid red-legged partridges

• Published in: Applied animal behaviour science 2015-05, Vol.166, p.123-130
• Main Authors: Campo, José Luis, Dávila, Sara García, Gil, María García, Torres, Olga, Moreno, Julián Santiago
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Heterophil to lymphocyte ratio; Hybrid partridge; Pure red-legged partridge; Relative fluctuating asymmetry; Tonic immobility duration
• ISSN: 0168-1591; 1872-9045
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2015.02.018

•Pure red partridge has been crossed with chukar partridge for breeding in captivity.•Introgression and selection have changed its behaviour, fear and stress sensitivity.•There was significant difference between both partridges in tonic immobility duration.•There was significant difference between both partridges in leukocyte ratio.•There was significant difference between both partridges in fluctuating asymmetry. The purposes of this study were to examine the duration of induced tonic immobility (a reliable fear indicator considered a passive anti-predator behavioural trait) and two stress indicators (heterophil to lymphocyte ratio, and fluctuating asymmetry of leg length, middle-toe length, and wing length) in females and males of the red-legged partridge, and to analyze the differences between pure and hybrid populations. A total of 132 birds (66 pure and 66 hybrid partridges; 48 females and 84 males) at 52 weeks of age were used. There was a significant difference between pure and hybrid birds in tonic immobility duration (P