This thesis examines the use of defensive strategies in relation to territories year round in the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Responses to recorded neighbor song and stranger song playback from the middle of a focal male’s territory were measured. This allowed for an estimation of aggression in both the winter and spring seasons. Each focal male was subjected to both treatments (stranger song and neighbor song). Males were more responsive over-all to neighbor song playback, however in the winter months, persistence of response to neighbor song playback increased. It was also shown that southeastern United States cardinals show year-round territory occupancy and more importantly the tendency to defend that territory during the entire year. Blood collected from a small number of birds during a neighbor STI trial shows that circulating testosterone does not significantly change from baselines or birds being challenged with a strange song playback.
","abstract_html":"<p>This thesis examines the use of defensive strategies in relation to territories year round in the northern cardinal (<em>Cardinalis cardinalis</em>). Responses to recorded neighbor song and stranger song playback from the middle of a focal male’s territory were measured. This allowed for an estimation of aggression in both the winter and spring seasons. Each focal male was subjected to both treatments (stranger song and neighbor song). Males were more responsive over-all to neighbor song playback, however in the winter months, persistence of response to neighbor song playback increased. It was also shown that southeastern United States cardinals show year-round territory occupancy and more importantly the tendency to defend that territory during the entire year. Blood collected from a small number of birds during a neighbor STI trial shows that circulating testosterone does not significantly change from baselines or birds being challenged with a strange song playback.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Gentry, Kaylee M."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Master of Science (MS)","degree_level":"Masters Thesis","degree_discipline":"Biological Sciences","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Frank Moore","Jodie Jawor","David Echevarria"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-12-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-12-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:34Z","subjects":["avian","bird","biology","testosterone","territoriality","cardinals","dear enemy","northern cardinal","defense","simulated territory intrusion","Animal Sciences","Animal Studies","Behavior and Ethology","Ornithology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/161","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Frank Moore","Jodie Jawor","David Echevarria"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Gentry, Kaylee M."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-12-11T08:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Biological Sciences"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (MS)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["avian","bird","biology","testosterone","territoriality","cardinals","dear enemy","northern cardinal","defense","simulated territory intrusion","Animal Sciences","Animal Studies","Behavior and Ethology","Ornithology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/161"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This thesis examines the use of defensive strategies in relation to territories year round in the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Responses to recorded neighbor song and stranger song playback from the middle of a focal male’s territory were measured. This allowed for an estimation of aggression in both the winter and spring seasons. Each focal male was subjected to both treatments (stranger song and neighbor song). Males were more responsive over-all to neighbor song playback, however in the winter months, persistence of response to neighbor song playback increased. It was also shown that southeastern United States cardinals show year-round territory occupancy and more importantly the tendency to defend that territory during the entire year. Blood collected from a small number of birds during a neighbor STI trial shows that circulating testosterone does not significantly change from baselines or birds being challenged with a strange song playback.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Territorial Defense Strategies in the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis): Who is the Bigger Threat?"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Frank Moore","Jodie Jawor","David Echevarria"],"dc:creator":["Gentry, Kaylee M."],"dc:date.available":["2016-12-11T08:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This thesis examines the use of defensive strategies in relation to territories year round in the northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Responses to recorded neighbor song and stranger song playback from the middle of a focal male’s territory were measured. This allowed for an estimation of aggression in both the winter and spring seasons. Each focal male was subjected to both treatments (stranger song and neighbor song). Males were more responsive over-all to neighbor song playback, however in the winter months, persistence of response to neighbor song playback increased. It was also shown that southeastern United States cardinals show year-round territory occupancy and more importantly the tendency to defend that territory during the entire year. Blood collected from a small number of birds during a neighbor STI trial shows that circulating testosterone does not significantly change from baselines or birds being challenged with a strange song playback.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://aquila.usm.edu/masters_theses/161"],"dc:subject":["avian","bird","biology","testosterone","territoriality","cardinals","dear enemy","northern cardinal","defense","simulated territory intrusion","Animal Sciences","Animal Studies","Behavior and Ethology","Ornithology"],"dc:title":["Territorial Defense Strategies in the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis): Who is the Bigger Threat?"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Biological Sciences"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (MS)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T05:44:34Z"}