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Fecal steroid monitoring for assessing gonadal and adrenal activity in the golden eagle and peregrine falcon

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Abstract

We examined the efficacy of noninvasive monitoring of endocrine function via fecal steroid immunoassays in the golden eagle and peregrine falcon. High-pressure liquid chromatography analyses of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM) revealed that minor percentages of immunoreactive fGCM co-eluted with [3H]corticosterone in both sexes of the eagle (2.5–2.7%) and falcon (7.5–11.9%). In contrast, most fecal estrogen metabolites in eagle and falcon females co-eluted with radiolabeled estradiol-17β ([3H]; 57.6, 64.6%, respectively) or estrone ([3H]; 26.9, 4.1%, respectively). Most fecal progestin metabolite immunoreactivity in the female eagle (24.8%) and falcon (21.7%) co-eluted with progesterone ([14C]). Most fecal androgen metabolite immunoreactivity in eagle (55.8%) and falcon (63.7%) males co-eluted with testosterone ([14C]). Exogenous adrenocorticotropin hormone induced increased fGCM excretion above pre-treatment in both species, but only significantly (P < 0.05) in the eagle. Both species showed increased fGCM after saline administration, suggesting the detection of ‘handling stress.’ Both species exhibited enterohepatic and renal recirculation of administered steroids as demonstrated by biphasic and triphasic excretion patterns. Thus, noninvasive fecal hormone monitoring is a valid and promising tool for assessing gonadal and adrenal status in rare and threatened birds-of-prey.

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Abbreviations

ACN:

Acetonitrile

ACTH:

Adrenocorticotropin hormone

CERI, JCCP:

Centro de Estudios de Rapaces Ibericas

CORT:

Corticosterone

CRC:

Conservation and Research Center

c.p.m.:

Counts per minute

dH2O:

Distilled water

E:

Estrogen

E1 :

Estrone

E2 :

Estradiol-17β

EtOH:

Ethanol

fAM:

Fecal androgen metabolites

fEM:

Fecal estrogen metabolites

fGCM:

Fecal glucocorticoid metabolites

fPM:

Fecal progestin metabolites

HPA:

Hypothalamic-pituitary axis

HPLC:

High-pressure liquid chromatography

MeOH:

Methanol

P:

Progestin

P4 :

Progesterone

T:

Testosterone

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Acknowledgments

Financial support was provided by the Women’s Committee of the Smithsonian Institution. This project was made possible by the passion and dedicated efforts of CERI staff. The experiments in this study comply with the current laws of Spain and the United States.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, Boise State University, Boise, ID, USA

    Airica M. Staley & Alfred M. Dufty Jr

  2. Department of Reproductive Sciences, Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park, Conservation and Research Center, Front Royal, VA, USA

    Airica M. Staley, Juan M. Blanco & David E. Wildt

  3. Centro de Estudios de Rapaces Ibericas, Sevilleja de la Jara, Spain

    Juan M. Blanco

  4. Conservation and Science Directorate, Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park, Conservation and Research Center, Front Royal, VA, USA

    Steven L. Monfort

  5. 2701 W. Stuart Street, Fort Collins, CO, 80526, USA

    Airica M. Staley

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  1. Airica M. Staley
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Correspondence to Airica M. Staley.

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Communicated by H.V. Carey.

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Staley, A.M., Blanco, J.M., Dufty, A.M. et al. Fecal steroid monitoring for assessing gonadal and adrenal activity in the golden eagle and peregrine falcon. J Comp Physiol B 177, 609–622 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-007-0159-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-007-0159-2

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