DEMPSEY, T.D.*; ESMAILKA, L.R.; HAGOOD, J.G.; KITAYSKY, A.S.; Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks; Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks; Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks; Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks: Perception of food availability affects the adrenocortical stress response of Northern Shovelers

In birds, corticosterone (CORT) secretion increases in response to nutritional deficits. In this study, we examined whether the perception of food availability also affects adrenocortical function. We tested the adrenocortical response of captive male Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) to a short-term (48 hr) fasting. During the experiment, food was either present but inaccessible to drakes or completely removed from the aviary. We collected baseline and acute stress-induced blood samples during ad libitum feeding and fasting periods. We found that the drakes responded to fasting by increasing CORT secretion. Perception of food availability ameliorated these effects – baseline and acute stress-induced levels of CORT were dampened during the treatment when food was present but inaccessible. These results support the hypothesis that the adrenocortical response to stress depends on the intensity of a stressor. We conclude that the perception of food availability and nutritional condition are both determinants of adrenocortical function in this species which relies on visual cues during foraging.