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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences

Erau Spring 2013 Newsletter, Paul Eschenfelder Jan 2013

Erau Spring 2013 Newsletter, Paul Eschenfelder

Paul F. Eschenfelder

No abstract provided.


Rocky Mountain Birds: Birds And Birding In The Central And Northern Rockies, Paul A. Johnsgard Jul 2012

Rocky Mountain Birds: Birds And Birding In The Central And Northern Rockies, Paul A. Johnsgard

Paul Johnsgard

“The Rocky Mountain region has fascinated me ever since I traveled to Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks as a teenager, and saw for the first time such wonderful birds as ospreys, American dippers, and Lew­is’s woodpeckers.” This book is in part based on the author’s earlier Birds of the Rocky Moun­tains (1986, revised 2009), but over a third of the original text has been eliminated. The rest has been updated, expanded and modified to be less technical and more useful to birders in the field. Bird enthusiasts will find viewing loca­tions and updated contact information for hundreds of sites in …


A Nebraska Bird-Finding Guide, Paul A. Johnsgard Jul 2012

A Nebraska Bird-Finding Guide, Paul A. Johnsgard

Paul Johnsgard

Nebraska lies in the transition zone between North American eastern and western avifaunas and is home to more than 200 breeding and 150 migrant species. This definitive guide to Nebraska birdwatching by the state’s preeminent ornithologist includes a county-by-county rundown of the best sites, a calendar of migrations, an annotated checklist of regularly occurring Nebraska birds, and recommendations for optical equipment, publications and reference materials, and contact information for conservation and ornithological groups. It features 48 maps as well as photographs and drawings by the author. Paul Johnsgard, Foundation Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is …


Modification Of Net Configurations Of The Coda Netlauncher© To Enhance Bird Capture, Amanda M. Prisock, Brian S. Dorr, James C. Cumbee Jan 2012

Modification Of Net Configurations Of The Coda Netlauncher© To Enhance Bird Capture, Amanda M. Prisock, Brian S. Dorr, James C. Cumbee

Brian S Dorr

Abstract: We modified and evaluated capture nets fi red from the Coda Netlauncher® as a tool for capturing various avian species. We modified the netlauncher by using customized nets to maximize the area of the capture zone. We captured 137 birds, comprising 12 species, in 23 attempts between July 2008 and October 2009 using this method. Capture success rates varied from 25 to 69% were comparable to success rates reported for other capture methods for these species. However, individual capture success for different net configurations varied greatly from 3 to 65%. Minimal injuries and 2 bird fatalities were reported. The …


Determinants Of Local And Migratory Movements Of Great Lakes Double-Crested Cormorants, Alban Guillaumet, Brian S. Dorr, Guiming Wang, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Richard B. Chipman, Heidi Scherr, Jeff Bowman, Kenneth F. Abraham, Terry J. Doyle, Elizabeth Cranker Jun 2011

Determinants Of Local And Migratory Movements Of Great Lakes Double-Crested Cormorants, Alban Guillaumet, Brian S. Dorr, Guiming Wang, Jimmy D. Taylor Ii, Richard B. Chipman, Heidi Scherr, Jeff Bowman, Kenneth F. Abraham, Terry J. Doyle, Elizabeth Cranker

Brian S Dorr

We investigated how individual strategies combine with demographic and ecological factors to determine local and migratory movements in the double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus). One hundred and forty-five cormorants were captured from 14 nesting colonies across the Great Lakes area and fitted with satellite transmitters. We first tested the hypotheses that sexual segregation, density-dependent effects, and the intensity of management operations influenced home range size during the breeding season. The influence of these factors appeared to be limited in part due to random variability in foraging and dispersal decisions at individual and colony levels. We also designed a statistical framework to …


Development Of Endothermy In Nestling Bank Swallows (Riparia Riparia), Richard L. Marsh Dec 2010

Development Of Endothermy In Nestling Bank Swallows (Riparia Riparia), Richard L. Marsh

Richard Marsh

Body temperature (Tb) measurements after exposure to air temperatures (Tₐ) of 20 C or 27 C for 2 h in conjunction with metabolism measurements were used to describe the timing of and basis for developing temperature regulation in nestling swallows. As growth proceeds from hatching to 10 g there is a gradual increase in the Tb after exposure to low Tₐ. As growth continues beyond this point, the ability of nestlings to maintain Tb above Tₐ improves rapidly, such that nestlings weighing over 14 g are completely homeothermic when exposed to 20 C. Conductance (C, in cal [g⋅h⋅°C]⁻¹) decreases throughout …


Effects On Nestling Age And Burrow Depth On Co₂ And O₂ Concentrations In The Burrows Of Bank Swallows (Riparia Riparia), Steven J. Wickler, Richard L. Marsh Dec 2010

Effects On Nestling Age And Burrow Depth On Co₂ And O₂ Concentrations In The Burrows Of Bank Swallows (Riparia Riparia), Steven J. Wickler, Richard L. Marsh

Richard Marsh

Gas samples were taken from the nest chambers of bank swallows (Riparia riparia) and analyzed for CO₂ and O₂ content. The mean CO₂ content was 2.62% with a maximum value of 5.58%, and the mean O₂ content was 17.83% with a minimum value of 14.61%. There was a positive and significant correlation of increasing CO₂ content with both increasing nestling age and increasing total metabolizing mass (adults plus young). With increasing metabolizing mass there is a linear increase in CO₂ content, which suggests no active regulation of gas concentrations. Burrow depth also affected CO₂, particularly in burrows with older nestlings. …


Winter Fattening In The American Goldfinch And The Possible Role Of Temperature In Its Regulation, William R. Dawson, Richard L. Marsh Dec 2010

Winter Fattening In The American Goldfinch And The Possible Role Of Temperature In Its Regulation, William R. Dawson, Richard L. Marsh

Richard Marsh

We investigated whether environmental temperature has any causal role in the winter fattening in certain finches of the subfamily Carduelinae. Correlational analyses between fat content of American goldfinches (Carduelis tristis) and various short- and long-term measures of temperature provide no evidence for a proximate role of this environmental variable in determining the degree of fattening of these birds in southeastern Michigan. Their fat content shows the best correlations (r = −.61 to −.63) with the long-term average minimum temperature or record low temperature for the date of capture. Furthermore, inclusion of long-term thermal measures in multivariate analyses excludes from significance …


Adaptations Of The Gray Catbird Dumetella Carolinensis To Long-Distance Migration: Flight Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Elevated Body Mass, Richard L. Marsh Dec 2010

Adaptations Of The Gray Catbird Dumetella Carolinensis To Long-Distance Migration: Flight Muscle Hypertrophy Associated With Elevated Body Mass, Richard L. Marsh

Richard Marsh

The size and composition (lean-dry, water, and fat contents) of the flight muscles of the catbird were investigated as a function of the large seasonal changes in body mass which occur in this species. The mass of the pectoralis muscle is highly positively correlated with body mass, leading to an elevation in muscle mass of ∼35% during fall premigratory fattening. The changes in muscle mass are brought about by coordinated variations in all major components of the muscles which were measured. High-oxidative, fast-twitch fibers represent 88% of the total fibers in the pectoralis muscle. The cross-sectional area of the muscle …


Measurement Of Maximum Oxygen Consumption In Guinea Fowl Numida Meleagris Indicates That Birds And Mammals Display A Similar Diversity Of Aerobic Scopes During Running, David J. Ellerby, Maryellen Cleary, Richard L. Marsh, Cindy I. Buchanan Dec 2010

Measurement Of Maximum Oxygen Consumption In Guinea Fowl Numida Meleagris Indicates That Birds And Mammals Display A Similar Diversity Of Aerobic Scopes During Running, David J. Ellerby, Maryellen Cleary, Richard L. Marsh, Cindy I. Buchanan

Richard Marsh

Judgement of exercise performance in birds has been hampered by a paucity of data on maximal aerobic capacity. We measured the maximal rate of oxygen consumption (V̇o₂,max) in running guinea fowl Numida meleagris, a bird that has been used in several previous studies of avian running. Mean V̇o₂,max during level treadmill running was 97.5±3.7 mL O&8322; kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ (mean ± SEM, N=5). V̇o₂,max was on average 6% higher when the birds ran uphill compared with the value during level running (paired t-test, P=0.041, N=5). The mean basal rate of oxygen consumption (V̇o₂,bmr) of the same individuals was 7.9±0.5 mL kg⁻¹ …


Birdstrike Mitigation - Beyond The Airport, Paul Eschenfelder, Russ Defusco Aug 2010

Birdstrike Mitigation - Beyond The Airport, Paul Eschenfelder, Russ Defusco

Paul F. Eschenfelder

No abstract provided.


Homosexual Copulations By Male Tree Swallows, Michael P. Lombardo, Ruth M. Bosman, Christine A. Faro, Stephen G. Houtteman, Timothy S. Kluisza Jul 2010

Homosexual Copulations By Male Tree Swallows, Michael P. Lombardo, Ruth M. Bosman, Christine A. Faro, Stephen G. Houtteman, Timothy S. Kluisza

Michael P Lombardo

Homosexual courtship behavior in non-human animals is well known (Ford and Beach 1980) and occurs in a wide variety of taxa. However, homosexual copulations, especially between males, are less well known. In birds, males mounting other males have been observed in the colonially breeding Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) (Fujioka and Yamagishi 1981) and Common Murre (Uria aalge) (Birkhead et al. 1985, Hatchwell 1988). Neither Fujioka and Yamagishi (1981) nor Birkhead et al. (1985) and Hatchwell (1988) reported whether cloacal contact occurred during their observations of male-male mountings. Here we describe homosexual copulations by male Tree Swallows …


Using Biodiversity Data To Assess Species--Habitat Relationships In Glacier National Park, Montana, Diane M. Debinski, Peter F. Brussard Nov 1994

Using Biodiversity Data To Assess Species--Habitat Relationships In Glacier National Park, Montana, Diane M. Debinski, Peter F. Brussard

Diane M. Debinski

Biodiversity surveys are becoming increasingly popular. However, standard analysis techniques for these data have not yet been developed. This paper explores the use of multivariate ordination techniques for assessing species—habitat relationships using biodiversity data. The research was conducted in Glacier National Park, Montana, and birds and butterflies were chosen as the taxonomic groups of study. Biodiversity assessment sites were established throughout a range of habitats and monitored from 1987 through 1989. Presence/absence sampling over the total number of sampling sites was used to classify species commonness and rarity. Approximately 86% of the historically recorded butterflies and 70% of the historically …


Chemical Bird Repellents: Possible Use In Cyanide Ponds, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah Jan 1993

Chemical Bird Repellents: Possible Use In Cyanide Ponds, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

No abstract provided.


Information Content Of Prey Odor Plumes: What Do Foraging Leach's Storm Petrels Know?, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah Jan 1992

Information Content Of Prey Odor Plumes: What Do Foraging Leach's Storm Petrels Know?, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

Electrophysiological responses to odor have been recorded for concen­ trations as low as 0.01 ppm for Manx shearwaters Puffinus puffinus and Black-footed Albatrosses Diomedea nigripes, indicating that relative to most birds, procellariiforms have a keen sense of smell (Wenzel and Sieck 1972, cf.clark 1991; Clark and Smeraski 1990; Clark and Mason 1989). Such acuity is not unexpected, given the extensive development of the olfactory anatomy of these species (Bang and Wenzel 1986). Field observations indi­ cate that Procellariiformes use their sense of smell to locate food (Grubb 1972; Hutchison and Wenzel 1980; Lequette, Verheyden and Jouventin 1989). -_ However, it …


Nonlethal Repellents: The Development Of Cost-Effective, Practical Solutions To Agricultural And Industrial Problems, Russell Mason, Larry Clark Jan 1992

Nonlethal Repellents: The Development Of Cost-Effective, Practical Solutions To Agricultural And Industrial Problems, Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Repellents substances and devices cause pest species to avoid otherwise attractive or palatable materials. For birds, repellents can be visual, auditory, pyrotechnic, tactile, chemosensory, physiologic, or physical. Here, we consider chemical agents only. Few substances arc registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and thus legally available for use. This lack of available bird repellent technology reflects the small demonstrable economic impact of many agricultural bird damage problems. Accurate information about damage and market size is virtually nonexistent, and private companies are reluctant to invest resources in the unknown. To successfully commercialize new repellents, clearly lucrative markets must be …


Capsaicin Effects On Consumption Of Food By Cedar Waxwings And House Finches.­, Donald Norman, Russell Mason, Larry Clark Jan 1992

Capsaicin Effects On Consumption Of Food By Cedar Waxwings And House Finches.­, Donald Norman, Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Capsaicin effects on consumption of food by Cedar Waxwings and House Finches.­ Capsaicinoids (e.g., N-vanillyl-n-nonamide. norcapsaicin, nordihydrocapsaicin, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, homocapsaicin, homodihydrocapsaicin; Hoffman 1983) are aromatic am­ ides and the pungent principles in Capsicum peppers. Although these substances are strong chemical irritants for most mammals (e.g.. Rozin et a!. 1979), the available data suggest that they are inoffensive to some birds. For example. European Starlings (Sturn us vulgaris) and Rock Doves (Columba Iivia) are unresponsive to these compounds, even when con­ centrations greatly exceed those which mammals avoid (Szolcsanyi et al. 1986; Mason et a!.. in press).


Chemical Repellency In Birds: Relationship Between Chemical Structure And Avoidance Response, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah, Russell Mason Jan 1991

Chemical Repellency In Birds: Relationship Between Chemical Structure And Avoidance Response, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah, Russell Mason

Larry Clark

We examined how molecular structure of24 anthranilate and benzoic acid deriva­ tives correlated with drinking behavior in European starlings Sturnus vulgaris.The effectiveness of bird repellents was &?SOciated with basicity, the presence of an electron onating group in resonance with an electron-withdrawing carboxylic group on a phenyl ring, and a heterocyclic ring in the same pi cloud plane as the phenyl ring. Of the benzoic acid derivatives tested in this study, methyl, ethyl, dimethyl, and linalylanthranilate as well as anthranilic acid and 4-ketobenztriazine were repellent to birds. Water consumption was significantly reduced relative to control levels at concentrations as low as …


Odor Detection Thresholds In Tree Swallows And Cedar Waxwings, Larry Clark Jan 1991

Odor Detection Thresholds In Tree Swallows And Cedar Waxwings, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

No abstract provided.


Ortho-Aminoacetophenone Repellency To Birds: Similiarities To Methyl Antrhanilate, Russell Mason, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah Jan 1991

Ortho-Aminoacetophenone Repellency To Birds: Similiarities To Methyl Antrhanilate, Russell Mason, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

Methyl anthranilate is an effective bird repellent at concentrations 2:1.0% (g/g). Ortho-ami­ noacetophenone (OAP) has an odor similar to that of methyl anthranilate and is chemically (structurally) similar. Coincidentally, OAP is present in the scent gland secretions of mustelid species that prey on birds. For these reasons, we chose to test the bird repellency of this material and 3 isomers to European starlings (Stumus vulgaris). Ortho-aminoacetophenone was repellent at concentrations :50.01% in both choice and no-choice feeding tests. The other structural isomers (meta-, para-, alpha-) were less effective. Chemically, the results suggest that hydrogen-bonded ring structure formation and basicity predict …


Nonlethal Bird Repellents: In Search Of A General Model Relating Repellency And Chemical Structure, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah Jan 1991

Nonlethal Bird Repellents: In Search Of A General Model Relating Repellency And Chemical Structure, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

Identification of potential repellents through molecular modeling has implications for the devel­ opment of commerciaUy viable, ecologically sound. nonlethal bird repellents. We tested isomers (ortho, meta, para) and moieties (amino, hydroxy, methoxy) of acetophenones for their effectiveness as bird repellents to better understand the nature of repellency in birds. ChemicaUy, basicity of a substituted phenyl ring, as de&ned by the electron-donating substituent, probably is an important feature infiuencing repellency; i.e., more basic substituents result in more potent repellents. Isomeric position of the electron-donating substituent, which leads to resonance of lone pairs of electrons.• is also an important feature of repellency; …


Chemical Bird Repellents: Applicability For Deterring Use Of Waste Water, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah Jan 1991

Chemical Bird Repellents: Applicability For Deterring Use Of Waste Water, Larry Clark, Pankaj Shah

Larry Clark

Regulatory agencies have placed increasing emphasis on agriculture and industry to protect wildlife from mortality associated with the consumption of waste water. Traditional hazjng methods to keep birds away from areas have met with marginal success. The only effective commercially available solution is .to enclose impoundments with netting. This strategy is costly and is subject to engineering constraints when large areas are to be protected. Molecular modeling techniques were used to identify chemical repellents to be added to waste water. These repellents effectively prevent birds from drinking or swimming in treated water.The most effective repellents are those containing an electron …


Prediction Of Avian Repellency From Chemical Structure: The Aversiveness Of Vanillin, Vanillyl Alcohol, And Veratryl Alcohol, Pankaj Shah, Larry Clark, Russel Mason Jan 1991

Prediction Of Avian Repellency From Chemical Structure: The Aversiveness Of Vanillin, Vanillyl Alcohol, And Veratryl Alcohol, Pankaj Shah, Larry Clark, Russel Mason

Larry Clark

The effectiveness of bird repellents is associated with the presence of an electron-withdrawing group (carbonyl or carboxyl) and an electron-donating group in resonance on a phenyl ring. The present experiments were designed to examine the relative importance of these structural features. European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) were presented with vanillin, vanillyl alcohol, and veratryl alcohol in two-cup and one-cup feeding trials and in one-bottle drinking tests. In feeding trials, veratryl alcohol was significantly more aversive than the other two chemicals. In drinking tests. veratryl alcohol was repellent only at the highest concentration (0.5% ml/ml), and was lethal at that concentration and …


Olfactory Discrimination Of Plant Volatiles By The European Starling, Larry Clark, J Russell Mason Jan 1987

Olfactory Discrimination Of Plant Volatiles By The European Starling, Larry Clark, J Russell Mason

Larry Clark

Passerine species that re-use nest sites often incorporate fresh green vegetation into their nests, a behaviour consistent with the possibility that some birds may use chemical properties of plants to counteract the selective potential of parasites and pathogens. We tested adult starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) for their physiological capacity and behavioural ability to detect and discriminate between volatiles emitted from plant material. Multi-unit electrophysiological recordings from olfactory nerves of adults indicated that strong responses were reliably elicited by volatiles from six plant species. After pairings of plant volatiles with gastro-intestinal malaise, birds exhibited conditioned avoidance in behavioural experiments, and made all …