Effect of oral diazepam on feeding behavior and activity of Hawai’i ’amakihi (Hemignathus virens)

Feeding behavior and activity during captivity were studied in wild-caught Hawai’i ’amakihi, Hemignathus virens, to evaluate diazepam's hyperphagic and anxiolytic effects. Birds were captured in mist nets, given either oral diazepam (1 mg/kg) or an equivalent volume per weight of lactated Ringer's solution orally, and held in captivity for 6 h. Thirteen-minute focal animal samples were videotaped at the beginning of each hour. Feeding behaviors, grooming and picking events, changes in position, and body weights were recorded. Mean duration of feeding, percentage of time spent feeding, and number of feeding events were significantly higher for treatment birds than for controls, and significantly increased over time. Feeding duration was significantly correlated to weight change. Weight change was not significantly different between groups, but on average treatment birds lost less weight than control birds. No significant differences in grooming behaviors were found between the groups, but there was a session effect of increased grooming over time in both groups. Also, a significant session effect in movement events was apparent, with control birds becoming less active and treatment birds becoming more active over time. Results indicate diazepam increased feeding behaviors and movement in this passerine species during a short period of captivity.     

Sperm head morphology is associated with sperm swimming speed: A comparative study of songbirds using electron microscopy

Sperm exhibit extraordinary levels of morphological diversification across the animal kingdom. In songbirds, sperm have a helically shaped head incorporating a distinct acrosomal membrane or “helical keel,” the form and extent of which varies across species. The functional significance of this helical shape, however, remains unknown. Using scanning electron microscopy, we quantified inter‐ and intraspecific variation in sperm head morphology across 36 songbird species (Passeriformes: Passerida). Using phylogenetic comparative methods, we investigated the relationship between sperm head morphology and both sperm swimming speed and the frequency of extra‐pair young (EPY). We found that species whose sperm had a relatively more pronounced helical form (i.e., long acrosome, short nucleus, wide helical membrane, and a more pronounced waveform along the sperm head “core”) had faster‐swimming sperm. We found no evidence of a relationship between interspecific variation in sperm head morphology and EPY, although we did find that among‐ and within‐male variation in sperm head traits were negatively correlated with EPY. Applying principles of fluid mechanics, we discuss how the helical form of the sperm head may influence swimming speed, and suggest that further studies considering aspects of sperm morphology beyond sperm length are needed to improve our understanding of sperm structure‐function relationships.     

Olfactory conditioning experiments in a food-searching passerine bird in semi-natural conditions

Because passerine birds have a very small relative olfactory bulb size, they have been considered to have weak olfactory capacities for decades. Recent investigations however suggest that breeding female blue tits (Parus caeruleus) are sensitive to lavender odour in the reproductive context of building and maintaining the nest. Here, we present results of an olfactory conditioning experiment in blue tits held in semi-natural conditions during the breeding season. We show that captive male blue tits, trained to associate lavender odour with a food reward, are more attracted to an empty feeder box emitting lavender odour than an odourless empty feeder box. Females did not distinguish significantly between empty feeders with and without lavender odour during the test phase, although they responded positively at the end of the training phase. These results suggest that male blue tits can use olfaction in a context not related to nest building. Additional experiments will be required to better understand the observed sex differences in response to the experimental set up, and in what context free-ranging individuals use olfaction.     

雀形目高级阶元分类与起源研究概况

对雀肜目鸟类高级阶元的分类和系统发育的研究进行了简要概述.经典分类与应用分子生物学方法建立的分类系统在高级阶元(总科)有较大差异,但科级的分类基本一致.在雀形目鸟类起源研究方面,古生物学研究结果认为其起源于劳亚古陆;而分子生物学的证据则认为其起源于冈瓦纳古陆.由于化石的证据与"分子钟"的推测年代相差较大,因此对雀形目鸟类的起源还存在争议,但是目前的研究更倾向于"冈瓦纳起源"假说.     

青海北部高寒草甸雀形目鸟类繁殖生态学的研究进展

从鸟巢特征、巢址选择、窝卵数、育幼行为、雏鸟生长发育、繁殖生产力以及繁殖对策等方面,对青藏高原高寒草甸雀形目鸟类繁殖生态学进行了综合分析与评述。高寒草甸雀形目鸟类受适合繁殖季节长度、食物资源和捕食压力的影响,或选择逐步投资对策,或选择一次投资对策;每个种群的常见窝卵数就是最适窝卵数;雏鸟的发育模式相对固定,不存在补偿性生长,但是生长期长度是可变化的。①研究亲-子通讯行为的进化和稳定性,提出适应高寒草甸雀形目鸟类的亲-子间的通讯行为假设;②建立在巢环境特征变化梯度(开放到封闭)上的生命表,找出决定适合度的生命表参数(繁殖率和存活率)的因果关系;③测定在巢环境特征变化梯度上的生态领域变化将是未来研究的3个方向。     

New methods to identify conserved microsatellite loci and develop primer sets of high cross-species utility - as demonstrated for birds

We have developed a new approach to create microsatellite primer sets that have high utility across a wide range of species. The success of this method was demonstrated using birds. We selected 35 avian EST microsatellite loci that had a high degree of sequence homology between the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata and the chicken Gallus gallus and designed primer sets in which the primer bind sites were identical in both species. For 33 conserved primer sets, on average, 100% of loci amplified in each of 17 passerine species and 99% of loci in five non-passerine species. The genotyping of four individuals per species revealed that 24-76% (mean 48%) of loci were polymorphic in the passerines and 18-26% (mean 21%) in the non-passerines. When at least 17 individuals were genotyped per species for four Fringillidae finch species, 71-85% of loci were polymorphic, observed heterozygosity was above 0.50 for most loci and no locus deviated significantly from Hardy-Weinberg proportions. This new set of microsatellite markers is of higher cross-species utility than any set previously designed. The loci described are suitable for a range of applications that require polymorphic avian markers, including paternity and population studies. They will facilitate comparisons of bird genome organization, including genome mapping and studies of recombination, and allow comparisons of genetic variability between species whilst avoiding ascertainment bias. The costs and time to develop new loci can now be avoided for many applications in numerous species. Furthermore, our method can be readily used to develop microsatellite markers of high utility across other taxa.     

Fuel deposition of three passerine bird species along the migration route

The rate at which migrant birds replenish their energy stores at intermittent stopovers largely determines overall migration speed, the manner in which migration proceeds and success of migration. In this study, data on the fuel deposition rate (FDR) of three long-distance migrants from 17 ringing sites along their autumn migration route were used to examine: (1) effects of endogenous factors on FDR, and (2) how relationships between exogenous factors and FDR affect the organisation of migration. We developed a model to estimate FDR from retrapped birds which takes into account time of day and various other factors which might influence FDR. The two endogenous factors, moult and current energy stores, generally reduced FDR. This may result in lower departure energy loads and more stopovers than expected from optimal migration theory. Differences between species with respect to seasonal, year-to-year and geographical patterns of FDR could be related to differences in availability and predictability of food resources, and help to explain differences in the organisation of migration. A low FDR in northern and central Europe could be related to low, but predictable, food resources and an early departure during moult of the reed warbler (Acrocephalus scirpaceus); FDRs varying between years were related to large spatial and year-to-year variation in the density of the main prey of the sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus); and a high FDR in the garden warbler (Sylvia borin) was related to abundant food resources, due to a switch from a purely invertebrate diet to a mixed diet including fruits which are abundant over large areas of Europe and north Africa. This study demonstrated that the organisation of migration is the outcome of a complex interplay of the seasonal timing of moult, food availability and predictability and a seasonal switch in diet, and can be modified by individual birds in response to a limited amount of time in which to migrate. Received: 26 April 1999 / Accepted: 24 September 1999     

Stable isotopes in breath,blood, feces and feathers can indicate intra-individual changes in the diet of migratory songbirds

We used stable isotopes of C in breath, blood, feces and feathers to identify intra-individual changes in diet and the timescale of diet changes in free-living songbirds at a stopover site. Because accurate interpretation of differences between the ¹³C of breath, plasma, and red blood cells (RBCs) relative to diet requires knowing the turnover rate of C within them, we determined the rate of change of C in breath, plasma and RBCs for yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata). Half-lives of C in breath, plasma, and RBCs were 4.4±2.1 h, 24.8±12.3 h and 10.9±3.2 days, respectively, for yellow-rumped warblers. ¹³C of breath, plasma, RBCs and feces from wild-caught golden-crowned kinglets (Regulus satrapa), ruby-crowned kinglets (R. calendula) and gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) indicated that they had maintained an isotopically consistent diet for an extended period of time. However, ¹³C of breath and plasma indicated that white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) had recently expanded their diet to include a C₄ dietary component. Likewise, ¹³C of breath, plasma, RBCs and feces indicated that some wild-caught yellow-rumped warblers had consumed foods with a more enriched protein signature prior to their arrival on Block Island, and since arrival, they had consumed mostly northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica). Therefore, comparisons of the ¹³C of breath, plasma, RBCs, feces and feathers from individual songbirds can indicate changes in diet and provide an estimate of the timescale of the diet change.     

Hydrogen isotopic variation in migratory bird tissues of known origin: implications for geographic assignment

Continent-wide variation in hydrogen isotopic composition of precipitation is incorporated into animal diets, providing an intrinsic marker of geographic location at the time of tissue growth. Feathers from migratory birds are now frequently analyzed for stable-hydrogen isotopes (δD) to estimate the location of individuals during a preceding molt. Using known-origin birds, we tested several assumptions associated with this emerging technique. We examined hydrogen isotopic variation as a function of age, sex, feather type and the timing of molt in a marked population of American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) breeding in southeastern Ontario. We measured δD in feathers and blood from individuals that bred or hatched at our study site during the year in which those tissues were grown. Juvenile tissues from 5- to 10-day-old birds had more negative δD values than those from adults, which most likely reflected age-related differences in diet. Within adults, primary feathers had more negative δD values than contour feathers. The mean δD value in adult primary feathers was relatively consistent among years and with the value expected for our study population. However, among-individual variation in δD corresponded to an estimated latitudinal range of 6–8° (650–900 km). We conclude that feathers sampled from recently hatched juveniles may not provide a reliable estimate of expected local isotopic signatures for comparison with adult feathers of unknown origin. Furthermore, we urge researchers to use caution when using δD values in feathers to infer geographic origin, and suggest that the best approach is to assign individuals to broad geographic zones within a species’ potential molting range.     

高寒草甸几种雀形目鸟类的标准代谢（SMR）

本文在-25℃至40℃的温度范围内,采用开放式呼吸仪测定了高寒草甸5种常见的雀形目留鸟的标准代谢率与环境温度的关系。其基础代谢率(BMR)在3.72—5.69毫升/克/小时范围内,中性温度区下限较低,一般在20℃左右。环境温度在下临界温度以下,代谢率随温度下降而升高的斜线陡峻,斜率一般为0.150—0.170之间。除树麻雀外,在40℃条件下均出现部分死亡。