Life Sciences Commons^™

Short-Chain Carboxylic Acids From Gray Catbird (Dumetella Carolinensis) Uropygial Secretions Vary With Testosterone Levels And Photoperiod, Rebecca J. Whelan, Tera C. Levin, Mary C. Garvin

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

The uropygial gland of birds produces secretions that are important in maintaining the health and structural integrity of feathers. Non-volatile components of uropygial secretions are believed to serve a number of functions including waterproofing and conditioning the feathers. Volatile components have been characterized in fewer species, but are particularly interesting because of their potential importance in olfactory interactions within and across species. We used solid-phase microextraction headspace sampling with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to detect and identify volatiles in uropygial secretions of gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis), a North American migratory bird. We consistently detected the following carboxylic acids: acetic, propanoic, 2-methylpropanoic, …