Avian Biology Research

Scientific literature addresses the use of feathers in sex determination, as a source of DNA, and for providing ecotoxicological information; however, there is much less research on the use of feathers as a non-invasive, or minimally invasive, means to conserve avian genetic diversity. This study investigated the use of semi-mature to mature feathers and post-hatch eggshells, as well as embryos, as sources of fibroblast-like cells for cytological analysis and somatic cell gene banking. Contour and flight feathers were plucked from living Rhode Island red and white leghorn varieties of the domestic chicken (Gallus domesticus), India blue peafowl (white mutation) (Pavo cristatus), domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo), domestic duck (Anas platyrhyncha), emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae), and ostrich (Struthio camelus). Fibroblast cell growth was observed in the feather pulp and post-hatch eggshell samples after 24-48 hours. Erythrocytes, macrophages, and epithelial cells were also observed, based on morphology. Semi-mature to mature feathers containing feather pulp and post-hatch eggshells can be adequate sources of fibroblast cells for somatic cell acquisition and cell culture, possibly providing a source of cells for use in chimera formation or cloning of threatened and endangered birds. Further research should focus on applying this technique to other avian species and address cryopreservation and viability of cells derived in this manner.

Many biological variables, including electrophysiological processes in the heart, scale with body mass. Cardiac electrophysiological parameters have been scaled only for mammals. Because avian and mammalian hearts differ in several structural and functional facets, the purpose of this study was to estimate how the duration of ventricular excitation scales with body mass, heart rate, and heart mass in birds. Values of the QRS complex duration, body mass, and heart rate for non-passerine species representing 13 families and 10 orders were obtained from published data, covering three orders of magnitude in body mass. The findings of the study were as follows: the QRS complex duration scaled with body mass to the power of 0.18, with heart rate to the power of −0.45, and with heart mass to a power close to 0.195. The duration of ventricular excitation in birds is related not only to morphologic (body mass, heart mass) but also hemodynamic (heart rate) parameters by the power law. Further investigations of scaling relations between QRS and cardio- and hemodynamic parameters is useful to find out an evolutionary importance and causes of peculiarities of cardiac electrophysiology in birds and some mammalian species.

We analysed inter-individual body mass variation of Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) in an examination of the effectiveness of regulations governing daily food requirements. We measured the daily food intake of 26 adult female quail during a feeding trial over four consecutive days. Non-ingested food was weighed every morning and 70 g of food was provided to each bird for every day of the trial. This represented more than three times the theoretical recommended daily amount of food required by Japanese quail, as described in the literature. We then calculated a female-specific mean daily food requirement and found highly significant variation among individuals. Daily food intake was significantly repeatable within-female over the trial and mean food intake was highly correlated with female body mass. We suggest that using daily requirements for individuals based upon ‘population’ means, whilst ignoring differences in body mass among individuals might have severe consequences for the welfare of birds. Furthermore, these results have significant implications for studies where the aim is to perform identical experimental manipulations (as some studies intend and suggest), resulting in the drawing of unsubstantiated conclusions.

Nest-site characteristics and hatching success were studied at a mixed-species colony of Black-winged Stilts Himantopus himantopus and Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica in AghGol wetland, Hamedan Province, Iran during the 2008 breeding season. Species-specific preferences and a possible correlation between hatching success and nest location were analysed. Black-winged stilts select significantly closer points to the water edge than random points while the distance to the water edge did not vary between preferred and non-preferred locations for Gull-billed Terns. Plant density was significantly higher in Gull-billed Terns than Black-winged Stilt nest-sites, which also preferred areas of lower plant density. Hatched Gull-billed Tern nests had significantly higher plant density around the nest than failed nests. Overall, hatching success of Gull-billed Tern was higher than that of Black-winged Stilt; mainly because of disturbances resulting from a decrease in the water level.

In Tuscany, the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa) became extinct at the beginning of the 20th century. Recently, some attempts have been made to re-establish wild populations in Tuscany using farm reared birds, but in most cases the released populations have shown difficulties in reaching sufficient viability, even in areas where the habitat can be considered suitable. Modern technologies for rearing game-birds may be not suitable for reintroduction purposes. For this reason we carried out preliminary research to evaluate the survival of red legged partridges reared under natural condition (Natural) compared to those farm reared (Artificial). Natural rearing occurred in a large pen where birds were allowed to mate freely and to nest. Natural reared birds reached a larger size than artificially-reared birds. Partridges were released in a 7.56 sq km protected area located in the province of Leghorn (western Tuscany, Italy). We followed the fate of 22 young radio-tagged red-legged female partridges (half Natural and half Artificial) and 56 young red-legged partridges (25 Artificial and 31 Natural) marked with different coloured ponchos. The survival of Natural radio-tagged red-legged partridges was double that of the Artificial red-legged partridges. After six months, the re-sighting rate of the Natural poncho-marked birds reached 22.6% whereas none of the Artificial stock was re-sighted. The preliminary results of this research suggest that Natural rearing may be an important tool to improve the success of partridge reintroduction.

The IFRG meeting organised by Drs Margherita Marzoni and Annelisse Castillo from the University of Pisa covered a wide range of topics from the microbiological defence systems of the egg, techniques for freezing semen, nest construction in wild birds, the long term effects of incubation temperature on chick performance and chick vocalisation during hatching. There were four invited speakers: Tommaso Pizzari (University of Oxford, UK) who discussed male behaviour and fertility; Maureen Bain (University of Glasgow, UK) describing new techniques for measuring shell quality; Jessica Dymond (USDA Beltsville, USA) who reported on experiments to improve the hatch of long stored eggs; and Ilhami çelik (University of Selcuk, Turkey) who described the effects of incubation temperature on the development of the thymus and bursa in the chick. Dr Nick French, who has chaired the IFRG for the last 3 years, stepped down as Chairman at the meeting and Dr Marleen Boerjan (Pas Reform, The Netherlands) took over the position. It was agreed that the 2013 meeting would be held in Germany, further details would be made available on the IFRG website when they are available: www.ifrg.org