Increased STAT5 signaling in the ring dove brain in response to prolactin administration and spontaneous elevations in prolactin during the breeding cycle.

•Prolactin-mediated JAK2-STAT5 signaling was examined in dove brain.•Activated-STAT5 cell densities peaked in eight brain regions in breeding females with high prolactin levels.•Prolactin-treated doves showed more activated STAT5 than vehicle-treated doves.•JAK2-STAT5 could mediate some of the effects of prolactin in the avian brain.