Consequences of load carrying by birds during short flights are found to be behavioral and not energetic

The doubly-labeled water technique and video were used to measure the effect of mass loading on energy expenditure and takeoff performance in zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, that were making routine (nonalarm) short flights. Finches that carried 27% additional mass did not expend more energy during flight than unloaded controls. Carrying additional mass, however, led to a reduced body mass and a decreased velocity during takeoffs (by 12%). Calculations of instantaneous mechanical power indicated that energy expended by unloaded and loaded finches at takeoff was similar, due to the observed decrease in velocity by mass-loaded finches and a lowering of their body mass. During routine short flights, zebra finches appear to maintain their metabolic power input and mechanical power output regardless of mass loading. Here, the costs of carrying additional mass during routine short flights were revealed to be behavioral and not energetic.