Behavioural and physiological responses to experimental temperature changes in a long-billed and long-legged bird: a role for relative appendage size?

Abstract

Abstract Maintaining homeothermy may be a major challenge when species are confronted with ambient temperatures beyond their thermoneutral zone. Bird species occupying open landscapes are inherently exposed to acute heat loss and heat gain, which force them to adopt a suite of behavioural and physiological strategies to maintain homeothermy. Both types of responses could be influenced by their relative bill and leg sizes, but experimental data are lacking. Here, we evaluated how variation in body postural adjustments, panting, and locomotor activity in the dunlin Calidris alpina can be explained by experimental ambient temperature and relative bill and leg sizes. Additionally, we estimated resting metabolic rate and evaporative water loss to assess potential links between both physiological traits and relative bill and leg sizes. Temperatures below the thermoneutral zone were counteracted by enhancing metabolic heat production through increased locomotor activity, while body postural adjustments were used less than expected. Within the thermoneutral zone, back rest (tucking the bill under body feathers) and unipedal (standing on one leg) were preferred by dunlins, probably as being more comfortable for resting. At temperatures above the thermoneutral zone, dunlins were inactive and increased the time of bill exposure and wet-sitting and ultimately panting when challenged with temperatures above 37 °C. Interestingly, above the thermoneutral zone, but below their body temperature, birds with relatively longer bills and legs spent more time exposing them, probably to increase dry heat transfer into the environment. Our findings also highlighted the importance of the availability of wet substrates for minimising heat stress in wetland species. Significance statement Recent correlational field studies found support for a relationship between relative bill and leg sizes and thermoregulatory behaviour in birds inhabiting open landscapes. However, experimental data are lacking, and the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain poorly understood. Here, we performed an experiment to model behavioural and physiological responses to ambient temperature change and relative bill and leg sizes in the dunlin Calidris alpina, a long-billed and long-legged shorebird. Additionally, we also examined potential links among metabolic rates, evaporative water loss and relative appendage sizes. Our findings showed a strong experimental relationship between behavioural and physiological responses and ambient temperature, as well as a link between appendage size and resting body postures. Our findings also have a conservation message by highlighting that the type of substrate available for roosting is important for minimising heat stress in wetland species.