CHANGES IN THE IMMUNE-RESPONSE OF THE RING DOVE (STREPTOPELIA-RISORIA) DURING INCUBATION

Changes in immune parameters following antigen administration were evaluated in non-breeding and incubating, male and female ring doves. The time course in the changes in immune parameters in response to antigen agrees closely with earlier studies on the domestic fowl. Incubating doves possessed phagocytes with increased activity, although there was no increase in cell number. These results suggest that in the incubating bird, with high levels of plasma prolactin, there is an antigen-independent increase in immune cell activity but no antigen-dependent action on cell number. The biological significance of the changes in the immune system during incubation awaits further study.