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Full-Text Articles in Animal Sciences
Thermal Constraints On Foraging Activity Of Adult Starlings, Larry Clark
Thermal Constraints On Foraging Activity Of Adult Starlings, Larry Clark
Larry Clark
The operative temperature of the environment was estimated for starlings using hollow, unheated taxidermic mounts. On average, adults foraging in full sun were characterized by shorter foraging bouts than those adults foraging in full shade. Simultaneous observations of air temperature, operative temperature, and the foraging duration of adults indicated that air temperature was a poor predictor of the maximum length of a foraging bout. The operative temperature of the environment was not correlated to the maximum and mean length of foraging bouts for temperatures below 31.5 ~ C, but was negatively related to maximum and mean foraging duration for values …
Olfactory Discrimination Of Plant Volatiles By The European Starling, Larry Clark, J Russell Mason
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 …