Journal article
Declining food availability, corticosterone, and migratory response in a nomadic, irruptive migrant
Hormones and behavior, Vol.110, pp.56-67
04/2019
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/118025
PMID: 30802442
Abstract
While obligate migrants time their movements to respond to predictable changes in the environment, facultative migration is characterized by more variable movements that are driven by unpredictable changes in resource availability. The proximate cues that trigger facultative migrations and the endocrine mechanisms involved in these responses remain poorly understood, though corticosterone may be a key mediator of facultative migration due to its effects on activity and metabolic processes. We conducted experiments in the fall and spring to examine the response of pine siskins (Spinus pinus), a facultative migrant, to a two-stage food restriction. Our goals were to examine whether declining food availability stimulated behavioral and/or physiological changes consistent with a migratory response, whether anticipatory behavioral and physiological adjustments occurred when birds were initially presented with changing food availability, and if observed changes corresponded to changes in circulating corticosterone levels. We found no evidence of preparatory physiological changes for migration, but food-restricted birds in the spring had increased daytime activity indicative of a migratory response. Corticosterone increased at each stage of the restriction and the change in corticosterone corresponded to the magnitude of decline in body condition. Increased corticosterone was also correlated with larger increases in activity during the initial stage of food restriction, but only during the spring, when birds also displayed higher levels of initial body condition. These results suggest that initial energetic state and corticosterone response may interact to determine an individual's behavioral and physiological response to declining food availability and ultimately the facultative migratory response.
•We examined food restriction effects on facultative migration in pine siskins.•Food-restricted birds had increased morning activity and corticosterone (CORT).•Response to food restriction was stronger in spring than in fall.•Increased CORT was correlated with larger declines in body condition.•Physiological state influenced the effect of CORT on activity.
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Details
- Title
- Declining food availability, corticosterone, and migratory response in a nomadic, irruptive migrant
- Creators
- Ashley R Robart - School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States of AmericaMelissa I Morado - Department of Biology, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA 90045, United States of AmericaHeather E Watts - School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, United States of America
- Publication Details
- Hormones and behavior, Vol.110, pp.56-67
- Publisher
- Elsevier Inc
- Identifiers
- 99900574387001842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article