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Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

1996

Chemical Ecology, Sensory Biology

Articles 1 - 3 of 3

Full-Text Articles in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Bird Aversive Properties Of Methyl Anthranilate, Yucca, Xanthoxylum, And Their Mixtures, Larry Clark, Bruce Bryant, Igor Mezine Jan 1996

Bird Aversive Properties Of Methyl Anthranilate, Yucca, Xanthoxylum, And Their Mixtures, Larry Clark, Bruce Bryant, Igor Mezine

Larry Clark

We tested the bird aversive properties of methyl anthranilate, yucca extracts, and Xanthoxylum spp. extracts in one- and two-bottle drinking assays that used European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). In one- and two-bottle tests, methyl anthranilate proved to be the more potent stimulus in producing an avoidance response. Starlings avoided consuming Xanthoxylum and yucca only in the two-bottle tests. Previous studies showed that yucca was a good adjuvant in stabilizing lipophilic compounds in water. Starlings did not avoid binary mixtures of methyl anthranilate and yucca differently from what would be expected if they were only responding to the solution's methyl anthranilate content. …


Avoidance Of Cabbage Fields By Snow Geese, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark Jan 1996

Avoidance Of Cabbage Fields By Snow Geese, J. Russell Mason, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

now Goose activity levels were significantly less in cabbage fields than in control fields. Although the data do not unambiguously address the issue of sulfur repellency, we believe that the activity difference is consistent with avoidance of the former and not preference for the latter. Sulfurous volatiles were readily apparent to us during our visits to cabbage fields throughout the study period. Similar odors were not detected in control fields. If sulfurous volatiles were important, then avoidance could reflect some characteristic of the cover crop (e.g., unpalatability acquired through the absorption and translocation of degra­ dation products) or it could …


Trigeminal Repellents Do Not Promote Conditioned Odor Avoidance In European Starlings, Larry Clark Dec 1995

Trigeminal Repellents Do Not Promote Conditioned Odor Avoidance In European Starlings, Larry Clark

Larry Clark

Birds, and in particular European Starlings (Stumus vulgaris), avoid con­ sumption of fluid and food treated with the natural plant products, methyl anthranilate and o-aminoacetophenone. Avoidance is an unlearnedresponse most likely mediated via chem­ ically sensitive fibers of the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve codes for chemical irritation and pain. Starlings are not repelled by the odor of the compounds, nor is olfaction important in the avoidance response. Moreover, starlings fail to learn to avoid the odor of the repellents, even after direct oral contact with liquid repellent. While trigeminal irritants can be powerful repellents, the absence of associative learning …