Body Condition and the Adrenal Stress Response in Captive American Kestrel Juveniles

We examined the adrenal response to handling stress of birds in different body conditions. In order to affect the birds' body condition, young (73‐d old) female American kestrels (Falco sparverius) were maintained for 6 wk on one of three diets: a control diet (fed ad lib.) and two calorically...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiological Zoology 1998-01, Vol.71 (1), p.67-73
Main Authors: Heath, Julie A., Dufty, Jr, Alfred M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adrenal Cortex - physiology
Aging - blood
Aging - physiology
Aging - psychology
Analysis of Variance
Animals
Aviary birds
Bird Diseases - blood
Bird Diseases - physiopathology
Bird nesting
Bird songs
Birds
Birds - blood
Birds - physiology
Blood plasma
Body condition
Body Mass Index
Corticosterone
Corticosterone - blood
Diet
Diet - veterinary
Dietary Fats - metabolism
Dietary Proteins - metabolism
Energy Intake - physiology
Female
Food availability
Stress response
Stress, Physiological - blood
Stress, Physiological - physiopathology
Stress, Physiological - veterinary
Time Factors
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Summary:We examined the adrenal response to handling stress of birds in different body conditions. In order to affect the birds' body condition, young (73‐d old) female American kestrels (Falco sparverius) were maintained for 6 wk on one of three diets: a control diet (fed ad lib.) and two calorically restricted diets. To invoke a stress response, we removed birds from their cages and took repeated blood samples over the course of an hour. All birds responded to handling stress with an increase in plasma corticosterone, but control birds (in good body condition) showed a more rapid increase to maximum corticoste‐rone levels, followed by a decrease. Both groups of food‐restricted birds had a slower rate of increase to maximum corticosterone levels and then maintained high corticosterone levels through 60 min. These results suggest that birds in good physical condition respond more quickly to stressors and adapt physiologically to stressful situations more rapidly than do birds in poor physical condition. This difference may reflect the ability of birds in good condition to mobilize fat for energy, while birds in poor condition must mobilize protein (i.e., muscle).
ISSN:0031-935X
1537-5293
1937-4267
DOI:10.1086/515888