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Stable isotopes in breath, blood, feces and feathers can indicate intra-individual changes in the diet of migratory songbirds

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Abstract

We used stable isotopes of C in breath, blood, feces and feathers to identify intra-individual changes in diet and the timescale of diet changes in free-living songbirds at a stopover site. Because accurate interpretation of differences between the δ13C of breath, plasma, and red blood cells (RBCs) relative to diet requires knowing the turnover rate of C within them, we determined the rate of change of C in breath, plasma and RBCs for yellow-rumped warblers (Dendroica coronata). Half-lives of C in breath, plasma, and RBCs were 4.4±2.1 h, 24.8±12.3 h and 10.9±3.2 days, respectively, for yellow-rumped warblers. δ13C of breath, plasma, RBCs and feces from wild-caught golden-crowned kinglets (Regulus satrapa), ruby-crowned kinglets (R. calendula) and gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) indicated that they had maintained an isotopically consistent diet for an extended period of time. However, δ13C of breath and plasma indicated that white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) had recently expanded their diet to include a C4 dietary component. Likewise, δ13C of breath, plasma, RBCs and feces indicated that some wild-caught yellow-rumped warblers had consumed foods with a more enriched protein signature prior to their arrival on Block Island, and since arrival, they had consumed mostly northern bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica). Therefore, comparisons of the δ13C of breath, plasma, RBCs, feces and feathers from individual songbirds can indicate changes in diet and provide an estimate of the timescale of the diet change.

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Acknowledgements

This research was made possible with major assistance in the field from The Nature Conservancy and especially Scott Comings. We thank Dr David Post, Dr Carlos Martínez del Rio and an anonymous reviewer for suggestions that enhanced this manuscript. We also thank Dan Eggers, Jennifer Hayford, Brooke Harris, Chris Halstead, Zach Ladin, Anthony Lanham, Katie McPherson, Martina Muller and Eric Walsh for help in the care and maintenance of the captive warblers. Lastly, we thank the Atlantic Ecology Division of the EPA, and especially Rick McKinney, for generously allowing use of their mass spectrometer. This is contribution no. 4063 of the University of Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station. This work was supported by USDA grant no. 538748, National Science Foundation IBN-9984920 and Sigma Xi. Use of wild birds in this research was authorized by the University of Rhode Island IACUC protocol no.A98-09-012 (Scott McWilliams), USFWS subpermittee (David W. Podlesak) under Master Bander (Scott R. McWilliams) no. 22923-A, and Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Fish and Wildlife subpermittee (David W. Podlesak) under (Scott R. McWilliams) no. 2001–75C.

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  1. Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA

    David W. Podlesak & Scott R. McWilliams

  2. Integrative Biology, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 84602, USA

    Kent A. Hatch

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  1. David W. Podlesak
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  2. Scott R. McWilliams
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Correspondence to David W. Podlesak.

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Podlesak, D.W., McWilliams, S.R. & Hatch, K.A. Stable isotopes in breath, blood, feces and feathers can indicate intra-individual changes in the diet of migratory songbirds. Oecologia 142, 501–510 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-004-1737-6

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