Abstract
All tested blood parameters are within the expected range for birds (Tab. 1). Starlings show a high rate of alcohol resorption. Experimentally ingested (per os) doses of 1, 2 and 3 g/kg ethanol (10 %-solution) were completely absorbed from the digestive tract within at least 30 min. Extraintestinal metabolic alcohol degradation is also very fast. Within 130 min even 3 g/kg ethanol were completely metabolised (blood alcohol values did not exceed 145 mg/l; Tab. 2, Fig. a). Alcoholdehydrogenase (ADH) activity is very high (ca. 14-fold of man) and shows a clear and fast adaptive plasticity in correlation to ingested alcohol concentration (Fig. b). There seems to be a clear pre-adaptation in ADH-activity in birds. We found low values in seed-eating birds and high values in fruiteaters. Under field conditions normal alcohol concentration as found in fermentated fruits and berries are so low, that — in connection with high ADH-activity — birds obviously have no problems to cope with alcohol.
Similar content being viewed by others
Literatur
Carrington, R. (1958): Elephants. London.
Eriksson, K., &H. Nummi (1983): Alcohol accumulation from ingested berries and alcohol metabolism in passerine birds. Orn. Fenn. 60: 1–9.
Garnier, E. (1930): Berauschte Kirschkernbeißer. Aquila 36/37: 347.
Gylstorff, I., &F. Grimm (1987): Vogelkrankheiten. Stuttgart.
Hermann, R. (1930): Gefiederte Alkoholfreunde. Mitt. Vogelwelt 29: 38–39.
Lebreton, E. (1936): Evolution de la vitesse d'oxidation de l'alcool éthylique chez homéotherme au cours de la croissance. Compt. Rend. Soc. Biol. 122: 561–564.
Ders.,M. Nicloux &G. Chaeffer (1935): Coefficient de l'éthyloxidation et métabolisme de base chez quelques espèces homéothermes. Compt. Rend. 200: 1133–1135.
Pieper, H. J., E.-E. Bruchmann &E. Kolb (1977): Technologie der Obstbrennerei. Stuttgart.
Reeker, H. (1896): Alkoholfreunde in der Tierwelt. Jb. zool. Sekt. Westf. Prov. Wiss. Kunst 1895/96: 64–69.
Snow, B., &D. Snow (1988): Birds and Berries. Calton.
Sunkel, W. (1929): Gefiederte Alkoholfreunde. Mitt. Vogelwelt 28: 144.
Thiede, W. (1990): Alkohol und Vögel. Orn. Mitt. 42: 161–163.
Turcek, F. J. (1961): Ökologische Beziehungen der Vögel und Gehölze. Slow. Akad. Wiss. (Preßburg): 149–150.
Warga, K. (1926): Berauschte Kirschkernbeißer. Aquila 32/33:296.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Prinzinger, R., Hakimi, G.A. Alkoholaufnahme und Alkoholabbau beim Europäischen StarSturnus vulgaris . J Ornithol 137, 319–327 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651072
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01651072