Meeting Abstract
Due increasing heat waves, animals are facing more challenges induced by increasing temperatures. Birds are particularly vulnerable to high temperatures as they are diurnal and have limited access to cooler microclimates. Exposure to high temperatures has been shown lead to changes in critical behaviors. For example, song birds have been shown to sing less when temperatures are higher. Song is crucial for communicating territory boundaries and advertising mate quality. Here, we experimentally tested how temperatures affect song production in male zebra finches. We used a repeated measures design and recorded all songs produced in three temperature treatments: 27°C, 35°C, and °C, or below, within, and above the zebra finch thermal neutral zone (TNZ) respectively. We found that song production was highest at temperatures within the TNZ and was lowest above the TNZ. We discuss our results in terms of the effects of high temperatures on wild birds, as zebra finches experience heatwaves in the wild. These results may also inform future experiments, as zebra finches are often tested at room temperature, which is below the zebra finch TNZ, where we show potential effects on song production.
