Meeting Abstract

P1.103  Friday, Jan. 4  The impact of bird feeding actvities on antioxidant capacity and stress physiology of Central Illinois birds. HOGAN, BM*; WILCOXEN, TE; HORN, DJ; Millikin University; Millikin University; Millikin University bhogan@millikin.edu

Antioxidants are essential to the health of vertebrates through their protection from free-radical damage. Bird feeding is a popular activity in the United States and little is known about the true impact of hobbyist bird feeding activities on the health of wild birds. We hypothesized that total antioxidant capacity would differ between birds that were fed supplemental commercial bird food versus those that were not given supplemental food. Also, we hypothesized that there would be an interaction between stress physiology and total antioxidant capacity. Specifically, we examined antioxidant levels and baseline corticosterone levels over an 18-month period in common feeder-using birds of the Eastern United States – Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Northern Cardinals, and White-breasted Nuthatches. We found a significant effect of supplemental food on total antioxidant capacity, but only after birds at the feeder sites had received supplemental food for more than two months. Further, there was a significant correlation between antioxidant levels and baseline corticosterone levels, supporting other vertebrate studies that have revealed a link between antioxidants and corticosteroid activity.