Transition between moult and migration in a long-distance migratory passerine: organ flexibility in the African wintering area |
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Authors: | Ulf Bauchinger and Herbert Biebach |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Biology II, University of Munich, Gro?haderner Str. 2, 82152, Planegg-Martinsried, Germany;(2) Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82346 Andechs, Germany |
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Abstract: | Phenotypic flexibility of organs in migratory birds has been documented for a variety of species of different genera during
the migratory period. However, very little is known about phenotypic mass changes of organs with respect to other events within
the annual cycle. This seems particularly interesting when birds face different physiological challenges in quick succession.
We investigated mass changes of 13 organs from garden warblers (Sylvia borin) during the transition from moult to migration. These long-distance migratory birds perform a complete moult within their
wintering area just shortly before the onset of spring migration. Birds were sampled in three successive stages according
to their moult status: group I consisted of birds with growing primary or secondary wing feathers, group II consisted of birds
with completed wing moult but with still moulting body feathers, and group III consisted of birds that had completed wing
moult and body moult. Size-corrected flight muscle, kidney mass, and pancreas mass differed significantly among the three
groups. Flight muscle was heaviest in birds that were about to leave their wintering area (group III) compared with birds
still in body moult (group II). Kidney and pancreas showed a pattern similar to each other, with the heaviest mass occurring
in birds with moulting wing feathers (group I) and significantly reduced mass in birds that had completed wing moult (group
II) or both wing and body moult (group III). Mass reductions of kidney and pancreas during the transition from moult to migration
are considered to be related to the demands of moult, while increased flight muscle may be due to moult, migration, or both.
Phenotypic mass changes of organs in birds occur during their migration, but they also occur during the transition between
other phases of the annual cycle such as moult and migration and are not restricted to the flight muscle. |
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Keywords: | Protein tissue Premigratory period Wintering area Linking Avian |
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