Animal Sciences Commons^™

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

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

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

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

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 Temperature Regulation In Nestling Tree Swallows, Richard Marsh

Richard Marsh

No abstract provided.

Adaptations Of The Gray Catbird Dumetella Carolinensis To Long Distance Migration: Energy Stores And Substrate Concentrations In Plasma, Richard Marsh

Richard Marsh

The major body components (water, lean dry, and fat) were measured in the carcasses of Gray Catbirds from which the flight muscles had been removed. Birds were collected from May through October near Ann Arbor, Michigan and during September and October near Gainesville, Florida. Additionally, the glycogen content of muscle and liver and the concentrations of glucose and triglycerides in plasma were determined in catbirds sampled during fall migration in Florida. Catbirds attained maximum body masses of ∼50 g in Florida, largely due to the addition of fat. Relatively lean birds (∼3-4% body fat) in spring through fall weighed approximately …

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

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. …

Seasonal And Geographic Variation Of Cold Resistance In House Finches Carpodacus Mexicanus, William Dawson, Richard Marsh, William Buttemer, Cynthia Carey

Richard Marsh

The house finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) is resident in tropical and subtropical regions as well as in localities having relatively severe winters. The extent of its winter acclimatization was assessed in freshly captured individuals of this species from southern California and Colorado. In severe cold stress tests involving exposure to Tₐ < −60 C, the former did not remain homeothermic any longer in winter than in late spring, whereas the Colorado birds did (8.8 vs. 97.5 min; P < .001). The capacity for winter acclimatization evident in these Colorado individuals was correlated with modest winter fattening, a response lacking in those from southern …

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

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

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

Paul F. Eschenfelder

No abstract provided.

Nestling Tree Swallow (Tachycineta Bicolor) Diets In An Upland Old Field In Western Michigan, Matthew Johnson, Michael Lombardo

Michael P Lombardo

We collected and identified 1852 prey items from 89 boluses delivered to 62 nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) at 14 nests in an upland old field in western Michigan. We found that 90.8% of nestling diets was insects from the Orders Diptera, Homoptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera. We also found clam and snail shells in boluses. Over the most common brood sizes of 4-6 nestlings, brood size was inversely proportional to the number of items per bolus delivered to nestlings although mean dry and mean organic weight of boluses did not differ. Bolus composition was not influenced by weather …

Effect Of Feathers As Nest Insulation On Incubation Behavior And Reproductive Performance Of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta Bicolor), Michael Lombardo, Ruth Bosman, Christine Faro, Stephen Houtteman, Timothy Kluisza

Michael P Lombardo

Many species of birds line their nests with feathers, presumably because of the insulative qualities of feathers and because feathers may act as a barrier between nest parasites and nestlings. In 1993, we experimentally examined the role of feathers as nest insulation on the incubation behavior, nestling growth, and reproductive performance of Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) nesting in boxes in western Michigan. There were no significant differences between the incubation rhythms of females with experimental nests (i.e. no feathers) and females with control nests (i.e. with feathers). Nestlings that were reared in control nests had significantly longer right tarsi and …

Repeated Sampling Affects Tree Swallow Semen Characteristics, Michael Lombardo, M.L. Green, P.A. Thorpe, M.R. Czarnowski, H.W. Power

Michael P Lombardo

Male Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) face intense sperm competition because mated pairs copulate frequently, extra-pair copulations are common, and females store sperm. We examined the effects of repeated sampling on the characteristics of Tree Swallow semen by manually expressing semen from 15 males immediately after capture (T₀) and then hourly for 4 h (T₁-T₄). The semen characteristics of individual males varied in response to repeated sampling. The total number of sperm cells we obtained from each male over the 4-h sampling period varied from 10⁴-10⁷. Semen samples lacking …

Communities Of Cloacal Bacteria In Tree Swallow Families, Michael Lombardo, Patrick Thorpe, R. Cichewicz, M. Henshaw, C. Millard, C. Steen, T. Zeller

Michael P Lombardo

Our aim in this study was to survey the communities of bacteria found in the cloacae of adult and nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), determine if there were familial patterns of prevalence, and determine if there were relationships between bacteria loads and nestling size when 12 days old and fledging success.

Left-Sided Directional Bias Of Cloacal Contacts During House Sparrow Copulations, Karen Nyland, Michael Lombardo, Patrick Thorpe

Michael P Lombardo

Most female birds have only a left ovary and associated oviduct. The entry to the oviduct is on the left side of the urodeum of the cloaca. This arrangement may favor males that mount females from the left during copulation if it results in sperm being placed closer to the opening of the oviduct. Therefore, we predicted a left-sided directional bias of cloacal contacts during House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) copulations. Cloacal contacts from the left outnumbered those from the right 74 to 25 (3:1) during 25 bouts of copulation at 11 House Sparrow nests. While this pattern suggests that a …

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 …

Individual, Temporal, And Seasonal Variation In Sperm Concentration In Tree Swallows, Michael Lombardo, Armetris Forman, Matthew Czarnowski, Patrick Thorpe

Michael P Lombardo

We determined sperm concentrations in Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) by manually expressing semen samples from males during prelaying, egg-laying, incubation, and nestling periods. Sperm concentrations varied by orders of magnitude (0-109 sperm mL-1) among males. Sperm concentrations were highest during the incubation period and lowest during the prelaying period. None of the samples collected during the prelaying, egg-laying, and incubation periods were devoid of sperm. In contrast, 45% of samples collected during the nestling period lacked sperm. Sperm concentrations (1) did not vary over the course of the morning during prelaying, egg-laying, and incubation periods but significantly increased during the …

Microbial Colonization Of The Cloacae Of Nestling Tree Swallows, Tamara Mills, Michael Lombardo, Patrick Thorpe

Michael P Lombardo

Microbes have the potential to be important selective forces in many aspects of avian biology. Microbes can affect fitness as a result of either their pathogenic or beneficial effects on host health. Little is known about the chronology of microbial colonization of nestlings or the effects of microbes on fledgling condition. We set out to (1) characterize the time course of microbial colonization of the cloacae of nestling Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor), (2) examine the relationship between cloacal microbes and fledgling condition, and (3) determine if nest mates had similar assemblages of cloacal microbes. We repeatedly measured nestlings and sampled …

Within-Pair Copulations: Are Female Tree Swallows Feathering Their Own Nests?, Michael Lombardo

Michael P Lombardo

A variety of hypotheses has been proposed to explain why socially monogamous birds copulate repeatedly with their mates when only a single copulation is necessary to fertilize an entire clutch (Birkhead and Møller 1992, Petrie 1992, Hunter et al. 1993). Petrie (1992) hypothesized that a female should copulate frequently with her mate so as to reduce her mate’s involvement in extrapair copulations. By reducing her mate’s involvement in extrapair copulations, a female may: (1) avoid the transmission of parasites and sexually transmitted diseases (Hamilton 1990); (2) may avoid sperm depletion by her mate; and (3) may monopolize her mate’s paternal …

On The Evolution Of Sexually Transmitted Diseases In Birds, Michael Lombardo

Michael P Lombardo

"The definitive version is available at www.blackwell-synergy.com".

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) in animals are caused by pathogens that are transmitted during copulation. Birds have played an important role in the development of STD-centered theories of mating behavior. However, it is not known whether STDs exist in wild bird populations. While the avian cloaca with its dual functions of gamete transfer and excretion seemingly predisposes birds for the evolution of STDs, the life history patterns of most birds (i.e., seasonal breeders with relatively brief annual periods of sexual activity) suggest otherwise. The importance of STDs as selective forces that shape host …

Left-Sided Directional Bias Of Cloacal Contacts During Tree Swallow Copulations, Aaron Petersen, Michael Lombardo, Harry Power

Michael P Lombardo

Most female birds have only a left ovary and associated oviduct with entry to the oviduct on the left side of the urodeum of the cloaca. We hypothesized that male cloacal contacts during copulation would occur from the left side of females because this would put sperm closer to the entrance of the oviduct. We observed that cloacal contacts from the left outnumbered those from the right by a margin of 3:1 during tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor, copulations at nestboxes in western Michigan in 1999. The directional bias of cloacal contacts may have an adaptive function.

The Beneficial Sexually Transmitted Microbe Hypothesis Of Avian Copulation, Michael Lombardo, Patrick Thorpe, Harry Power

Michael P Lombardo

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain why female birds either copulate repeatedly with a single mate or copulate with multiple partners even though only a single copulation may be sufficient to fertilize an entire clutch. We hypothesize that females may directly benefit from high frequencies of copulation and multiple copulation partners if they receive a cloacal inoculation of beneficial sexually transmitted microbes (STMs) that can either protect them against future encounters with pathogens and/or serve as therapy against present infections. Experiments in domestic animal production, wildlife rehabilitation, and clinical medicine indicate that inoculations of beneficial microbes derived from the …

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

Larry Clark

No abstract provided.

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

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 …