Meeting Abstract

P1.111  Friday, Jan. 4  Regulation of adipose storage by temperature and light cycles following migration in the Gray Catbird, Dumetella carolinensis CORDER, KR*; SCHAEFFER , PJ; Miami University; Miami University keely.corder@gmail.com

Prior to their migration, birds make physiological and behavioral adjustments to accumulate fat stores to fuel their journey. The majority of these fat stores are utilized during their long-distance flights. However, birds often complete vernal migrations with residual fat, which may be advantageous as it could assist with the demands of harsh weather and aid breeding success. Beyond ensuring a successful migration, it is unclear whether excess fat stores are beneficial following autumnal migrations. Retaining any excess stores could be detrimental due to increased predation risk. In this study, Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) were caught prior to autumnal migration with high amounts of adipose and then housed in incubators mimicking light and temperature cycles of either tropical wintering grounds or the capture site in SW Ohio. In doing this, we determine if climate cues are sufficient for fat loss without the energetic demand of the migratory event and begin to seek a mechanism for regulation of adiposity post-migration.