LIGHT INTENSITY AND THE TIMING OF DAILY ACTIVITY OF FINCHES (FRINGILLIDAE)

The prevailing general theory of entrainment of endogenous circadian rhythms explains variation in the timing of activity with season, latitude and weather conditions on the basis of the dependence of spontaneous frequency of the rhythm on the intensity of constant illumination. In an experiment designed to test the validity of this theory, Greenfinches and chaffinches were exposed to the natural light-dark cycle alternately in full illumination and in reduced daylight. Contrary to prediction by current hypotheses for these species, in which the spontaneous frequency decreases with decreasing light intensity, their midpoint of daily activity shifted forward when the intensity of natural daylight was reduced. This result refutes the hypothesis that light affects the timing of activity in nature in a manner predictable from its effect in constant conditions.
Both species of finches have a bimodal daily distribution of perch-hopping activity. The morning peak and evening peak of activity are of about equal strength in winter, but the morning peak increases sharply in the reproductive season. The possibility that the two peaks represent two pacemaker systems, under differential endocrine control, is discussed.
The precision in the timing of daily onset and end of activity is positively correlated with the estimated average rate of change of light intensity at these times of day. Thus, day-to-day variations are markedly increased in reduced daylight when activity begins late after sunrise and terminates well before sunset.