Assessing the impact of social cues on the termination of migration in a nomadic migrant, the pine siskin (Spinus pinus)


SOCIETY FOR INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY
2021 VIRTUAL ANNUAL MEETING (VAM)
January 3 – Febuary 28, 2021

Meeting Abstract


78-4  Sat Jan 2  Assessing the impact of social cues on the termination of migration in a nomadic migrant, the pine siskin (Spinus pinus) Vernasco, BJ*; Cornelius, JM; Watts, HE; Washington State University; Oregon State University; Washington State University ben.vernasco@wsu.edu

Many animals make seasonal movements between spatially-distinct habitats to capitalize on pulses of resources. The decisions of when to initiate and terminate such migrations are critically important for tracking favorable environmental conditions. Cues from the social environment are thought to be important for making these types of migratory decisions, yet relatively few studies have focused on understanding the significance of social cues in the context of migration. Here, we use an experimental approach to understand the use of social cues for timing the termination of vernal migration in a captive population of pine siskins (Pinus spinus), a nomadic migratory songbird. Specifically, during the vernal migratory period, we measured the nocturnal activity levels (i.e., zugunruhe), body condition, and reproductive development of pine siskins experiencing three different social environments. Individuals were either visually isolated from other birds, visually paired with two same-sex individuals in a neighboring cage, or visually paired with two photo-advanced, same-sex individuals in a neighboring cage. Photo-advanced birds experienced 18-hour day lengths for 1 month prior to pairing while all other birds in the experiment experienced naturally changing vernal photoperiods. We will present results describing changes in a suite of traits indicative of the transition from a migratory state to settlement and breeding including: nocturnal activity levels, body condition, and reproductive condition. By determining if these migratory traits depend upon an individual’s social environment, this study will broaden our understanding of the extent to which animals use social cues to make key migratory decisions.

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