Animal Molecular Breeding 2024, Vol.14, No.3, 207-216 http://animalscipublisher.com/index.php/amb 208 2 Temperament Traits in Pet Birds 2.1 Commonly observed temperament traits Temperament traits in pet birds encompass a range of consistent behavioral patterns that can be observed over time and across different situations. Commonly observed traits include aggressiveness, Sociability and Fearfulness. Aggressiveness refers to the tendency of a bird to exhibit hostile or combative behavior towards other birds or humans. It can manifest as biting, lunging, or other forms of physical aggression. Sociability describes a bird's inclination to seek out and enjoy the company of others, whether they are conspecifics or humans. Birds with high sociability are often more interactive and engaging. Fearfulness is characterized by a bird's tendency to react with caution or avoidance to new stimuli or environments. This can include behaviors such as freezing, fleeing, or excessive vocalization when confronted with unfamiliar situations (Nicolaus et al., 2016; Coutant et al., 2018). 2.2 Methods of temperament assessment in pet birds Assessing temperament in pet birds can be approached through various methods, each with its own strengths and limitations. Observational tests involve direct observation of the bird's behavior in controlled settings. For example, a study developed a quantitative temperament test for parrots by measuring specific behavioral parameters such as anxiety/vigilance and curiosity/neophilia (Valente et al., 2017). Another study used a simple cage test to assess neophobia-related behavior and activity in wild-caught birds (Kluen et al., 2012). Rating scales involves expert observers rating birds on predefined behavioral descriptors. Although this approach can be subject to observer bias, it has been successfully used in various species, including cockatiels, to identify and measure temperament traits (Yu et al., 2020). Behavioral assays are standardized tests designed to elicit specific behaviors from the birds. For instance, a study on blue tits used a 15-minute cage test to measure neophobia and activity levels, capturing repeatable and heritable differences in personality traits. 2.3 Factors influencing temperament traits Several factors can influence the temperament traits observed in pet birds. Heritability plays a significant role in the expression of temperament traits. Studies have shown that traits such as exploration behavior and neophobia have a genetic basis, with heritability estimates varying across different species and traits (Réale et al., 2007; Rozempolska-Rucińska et al., 2017). The environment in which a bird is raised and kept can significantly impact its temperament. Factors such as socialization, handling, and exposure to novel stimuli can shape behaviors like sociability and fearfulness. For example, parrots exhibited more curiosity/neophilia when retested after a brief exposure to experimental conditions, indicating habituation (Haskell et al., 2014). The specific context in which a bird is observed can also affect its behavior. For instance, the presence of conspecifics, the type of enclosure, and the nature of the stimuli presented can all influence the expression of temperament traits. By understanding and assessing these temperament traits, researchers and pet owners can better manage and care for pet birds, ensuring their well-being and improving human-animal interactions. 3 Genetic Basis of Temperament in Animals 3.1 Overview of genetic heritability Genetic heritability refers to the proportion of phenotypic variance in a trait that can be attributed to genetic variation among individuals in a population. This concept is crucial in understanding how traits are passed from one generation to the next and how they can evolve over time. Heritability can be estimated using various methods, including family studies, twin studies, and more recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) which utilize single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to estimate heritability in unrelated individuals (Yang et al., 2017). The heritability coefficient can be divided into narrow-sense heritability, which considers only additive genetic effects, and broad-sense heritability, which includes all genetic variance, including gene-gene interactions (Dochtermann et al., 2015). Recent advancements have also introduced methods like relatedness disequilibrium regression (RDR) to estimate heritability while minimizing environmental biases. 3.2 General Insights into heritability in avian species In avian species, heritability of various traits, including temperament, has been a subject of extensive research. For instance, studies on the great tit (Parus major) have shown that exploration behavior, a temperament trait, is
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