21-1 Sat Jan 2 It’s getting hot in here: The effects of temperature on behavioral allocation in songbirds Messerly, KI*; Coomes , CM; Derryberry, EP; University of Tennessee – Knoxville; University of Tennessee – Knoxville; University of Tennessee – Knoxville kmesserl@vols.utk.edu
Climate change affects habitats across the world through warming temperatures, and animals are altering their behaviors in response. Individuals are re-allocating time and energy investments away from behaviors such as foraging and mating toward thermoregulatory behaviors. Reducing investments in mating behaviors could reduce the likelihood of mating, potentially decreasing reproductive success. Songbirds are sensitive to heat variation and have well studied thermal physiology. We exposed male zebra finches to three temperature treatments: below (27°C), within (35°C), and above (43°C) the thermal neutral zone while viewing a female. We then quantified thermoregulatory and courtship behaviors. We hypothesize that zebra finches will vary in how they allocate their time to such behaviors in different treatments due to varying thermoregulatory needs. Zebra finches in treatment groups above and below the thermoneutral zone spent more time engaged in thermoregulatory behaviors than the thermoneutral treatment group. Birds in the thermoneutral zone will spend more time invested in mating behaviors, than treatment groups above and below the thermoneutral zone. By understanding the effects of heat stress on captive zebra finches we are better able to make inferences on immediate regulation responses to temperature threats and identify trends between captive and wild populations.