Data from: Habitat urbanization and stress response are primary predictors of personality variation in Northern cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis)

Behavioral traits that vary consistently among individuals across
different contexts are often termed as personality traits. The correlated
suite formed by those traits, called a ‘behavioral syndrome’, can provide
a more comprehensive way to view animal behavior. Both extrinsic and
intrinsic ‘states’ (defined as strategically relevant individual features
affecting the cost-and-benefit trade-offs of behavioral actions) have the
potential to shape among-individual variation in personality traits, as
well as behavioral syndromes. Here, we used Northern cardinals (Cardinalis
cardinalis) sampled from four locations to examine the effect of habitat
type (an extrinsic state), stress hormone corticosterone (CORT)
parameters, body weight and sex (intrinsic states) on personality traits
and behavioral syndrome variation. We used behavioral trials to measure
five personality traits. Using principle component analysis (PCA) followed
by general linear mixed model (GLMM), we found that habitat type, baseline
CORT and CORT short-term response affected some personality traits, while
body weights and sex did not. Cardinals inhabiting more urbanized areas
with lower baseline CORT levels were more neophilic, less neophobic and
also less aggressive than their rural conspecifics. Using structural
equation modeling (SEM), we also found that urban and rural cardinals
varied in the models representing syndrome structure. When utilizing the
shared syndrome structural model to examine the effects of states, habitat
type and CORT short-term response appear to affect syndrome variation in a
coordinated, not hierarchical, manner.