Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Circadian rhythm of water balance and aldosterone excretion in the whitebellied sunbird Nectarinia talatala

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Comparative Physiology B Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Nectarivorous whitebellied sunbirds, Nectarinia talatala, demonstrate distinct circadian patterns in osmoregulatory parameters. We recorded intake of a 1 mol/l sucrose solution which enabled calculation of total water gain, and collected cloacal fluid for measurements of volume, osmolality and aldosterone concentration. These variables were assessed hourly over 12 h of photophase, and averaged over the 12-h scotophase period. Overnight, when sunbirds were in negative water balance, aldosterone concentrations and outputs were significantly higher than diurnal levels, reflecting a shut-down of cloacal fluid production. Early morning was marked by a high rate of osmotic excretion, disproportionate to water gain or cloacal fluid output, followed by steady intake and cloacal fluid output during the morning and early afternoon. Reduced water flux (decreased feeding and cloacal fluid output) during mid-afternoon was accompanied by a paradoxical decline in osmotic excretion, whilst a significant increase in the discrepancy between water intake and output was recorded as the birds effectively stored water before the scotophase. These patterns of intake and excretion may be informative in explaining drinking and foraging behaviour in the field.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

ALDO :

aldosterone

CF :

cloacal fluid

GFR :

glomerular filtration rate

References

  • Arad Z, Arnason SS, Chadwick A, Skadhauge E (1985) Osmotic and hormonal responses to heat and dehydration in the fowl. J Comp Physiol B 155:227–234

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Árnason SS, Rice GE, Chadwick A, Skadhauge E (1986) Plasma levels of arginine vasotocin, prolactin, aldosterone and corticosterone during prolonged dehydration in the domestic fowl; effect of dietary NaCl. J Comp Physiol B 156:383–397

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bartholomew G, Cade TJ (1963) The water economy of land birds. Auk 80:504–539

    Google Scholar 

  • Boissin J, Nouguiér-Soule J, Assenmacher I (1969) Circannual and circadial rhythms of adrenal cortical function in birds. Indian J Zootomy 10:187–196

    Google Scholar 

  • Breuner CW, Wingfield JC, Romero LM (1999) Diel rhythms of basal and stress-induced corticosterone in a wild, seasonal vertebrate, Gambel’s white-crowned sparrow. J Exp Zool 284:334–342

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Calder WA, Calder LL, Fraizer TD (1990) The hummingbird’s restraint: a natural model for weight control. Experientia 46:999–1002

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins BG (1981) Nectar intake and water balance for two species of Australian honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta and Acanthorhynchus superciliosis. Physiol Zool 54:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Collins BG, Cary G, Packard G (1980) Metabolism, thermoregulation and evaporative water loss in two species of Australian nectar-feeding birds (family Meliphagidae). Comp Biochem Physiol 67:629–635

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collins BG, Clow H (1978) Feeding behavior and energetics of the western spinebill, Acanthorhynchus superciliosis (Aves: Meliphagidae). Aust J Zool 26:269–277

    Google Scholar 

  • Dufty AM, Belthoff JR (1997) Corticosterone and the stress response in young western screech-owls: effects of captivity, gender, and activity period. Physiol Zool 70:143–149

    Google Scholar 

  • Dusseau JW, Meier AH (1971) Diurnal and seasonal variations of plasma adrenal steroid hormone in the white-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis. Gen Comp Endocrinol 16:399–408

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher CD, Lindgren E, Dawson WR (1972) Drinking patterns and behaviour of Australian desert birds in relation to their ecology and abundance. Condor 74:111–136

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming PA, Gray DA, Nicolson SW (2004) Osmoregulatory response to acute diet change in an avian nectarivore: rapid rehydration following water shortage. Comp Biochem Physiol (in press)

    Google Scholar 

  • Fleming PA, Nicolson SW (2003) Osmoregulation in an avian nectarivore, the whitebellied sunbird Nectarinia talatala: response to extremes of diet concentration. J Exp Biol 206:1845–1854

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Garrison JSE, Gass CL (1999) Response of a traplining hummingbird to changes in nectar availability. Behav Ecol 10:714–725

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gass CL, Garrison JSE (1999) Energy regulation by traplining hummingbirds. Funct Ecol 13:483–492

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gass CL, Montgomerie RD (1981) Hummingbird foraging behavior: decision-making and energy regulation. In: Kamil AC, Sargent TD (eds) Foraging behavior, ecological, ethological and psychological approaches. Garland STPM Press, New York, pp 159–194

  • Goldstein DL (1993) Influence of dietary sodium and other factors on plasma aldosterone concentrations and in vitro properties of the lower intestine in house sparrows (Passer domesticus). J Exp Biol 176:159–174

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein DL, Bradshaw SD (1998) Renal function in red wattlebirds in response to varying fluid intake. J Comp Physiol B 168:265–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein DL, Rothschild EL (1993) Daily rhythms in rates of glomerular filtration and cloacal excretion in captive and wild song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Physiol Zool 66:708–719

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldsworthy G, Robinson J, Mordue W (1981) Endocrinology. Wiley, New York

  • Hau M, Gwinner E (1997) Adjustment of house sparrow circadian rhythms to a simultaneously applied light and food zeitgeber. Physiol Behav 62:973–981

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hiebert SM, Ramenofsky M, Salvante K, Wingfield J, Gass CL (2000) Noninvasive methods for measuring and manipulating corticosterone in hummingbirds. Gen Comp Endocrinol 120:235–247

    Google Scholar 

  • Hilfenhaus M (1976) Circadian rhythm of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system in the rat. Arch Toxicol 36:305–316

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hilfenhaus M (1977a) Evaluation of radioimmunoassay for aldosterone in urine and plasma of rats. J Steroid Biochem 8:847–851

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hilfenhaus M (1977b) Urinary aldosterone excretion rate and plasma aldosterone concentration in the rat: effect of ACTH, DOC, furosemide and of changes in sodium balance. Acta Endocrinol 85:134–142

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Jackson S, Nicolson SW, Lotz CN (1998a) Sugar preferences and “side bias” in Cape sugarbirds and lesser doublecollared sunbirds. Auk 115:156–165

    Google Scholar 

  • Jackson S, Nicolson SW, van Wyk B-E (1998b) Apparent absorption efficiencies of nectar sugars in the Cape sugarbird, with a comparison of methods. Physiol Zool 71:106–115

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph MM, Meier AH (1973) Daily rhythms of plasma corticosterone in the common pigeon. Gen Comp Endocrinol 20:326–330

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klingbeil CK (1985) Effects of chronic changes in dietary electrolyte and acute stress on plasma levels of corticosterone and aldosterone in the duck (Anas platyrhynchos). Gen Comp Endocrinol 58:10–19

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kokkonen U, Riskila P, Roihankorpi M, Soveri T (2001) Circadian variation of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide, cortisol and fluid balance in the goat. Acta Physiol Scand 171:1–8

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lotz CN (1999) Energy and water balance in the lesser double-collared sunbird, Nectarinia chalybea. PhD Thesis, University of Cape Town

  • Lotz CN, Nicolson SW (1996) Sugar preferences of a nectarivorous passerine bird, the lesser double-collared sunbird (Nectarinia chalybea). Funct Ecol 10:360–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Lotz CN, Nicolson SW (1999) Energy and water balance in the lesser double-collared sunbird (Nectarinia chalybea) feeding on different nectar concentrations. J Comp Physiol B 169:200–206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martínez del Rio C, Schondube JE, McWhorter TJ, Herrera LG (2001) Intake responses of nectar feeding birds: digestive and metabolic causes, osmoregulatory consequences, and coevolutionary effects. Am Zool 41:902–915

    Google Scholar 

  • McWhorter TJ, Martínez del Rio C (1999) Food ingestion and water turnover in hummingbirds: how much dietary water is absorbed? J Exp Biol 202:2851–2858

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolson SW (2002) Pollination by passerine birds: why are the nectars so dilute? Comp Biochem Physiol B 131:645–652

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nicolson SW, Fleming PA (2003) Energy balance in the whitebellied sunbird, Nectarinia talatala: constraints on compensatory feeding, and consumption of supplementary water. Funct Ecol 17:3–9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Okawara Y, Karakida T, Yamaguchi K-I, Kobayashi H (1985) Diurnal rhythm of water intake and plasma angiotensin II in the Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). Gen Comp Endocrinol 58:89–92

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Prinzinger R, Schafer T, Schuchmann K-L (1992) Energy metabolism, respiratory quotient and breathing parameters in two convergent small bird species: the fork-tailed sunbird Aethopyga christinae (Nectariniidae) and the Chilean hummingbird Sephanoides sephanoides (Trochilidae). J Therm Biol 17:71–79

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Romero LM, Remage-Healey L (2000) Daily and seasonal variation in response to stress in captive starlings (Sturnus vulgaris): corticosterone. Gen Comp Endocrinol 119:52–59

    Google Scholar 

  • Ruckebush Y, Phaneuf L-P, Dunlop R (1991) Physiology of small and large animals. BC Decker, Hamilton, Ontario

  • Schmidt-Nielsen K (1997) Animal physiology: adaptation and environment. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Skadhauge E (1981) Osmoregulation in birds. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York

  • Skadhauge E, Thomas DH, Chadwick A, Jallageas M (1983) Time course of adaptation to low and high NaCl diets in the domestic fowl: effects on electrolyte excretion and on plasma hormone levels (aldosterone, corticosterone and prolactin). Pflügers Arch 396:301–307

    Google Scholar 

  • Underwood H, Steele C, Zivkovic B (2001) Circadian organization and the role of the pineal in birds. Microsc Res Tech 53:48–62

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Weathers WW, Paton DC, Seymour RS (1996) Field metabolic rate and water flux of nectarivorous honeyeaters. Aust J Zool 44:445–460

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This project was funded by the South African National Research Foundation (grant number 2053621) and by the University of Pretoria.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, 0002, Pretoria , South Africa

    P. A. Fleming & S. W. Nicolson

  2. School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, 2050, Johannesburg , South Africa

    D. A. Gray

Authors
  1. P. A. Fleming
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. D. A. Gray
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. W. Nicolson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to P. A. Fleming.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Fleming, P.A., Gray, D.A. & Nicolson, S.W. Circadian rhythm of water balance and aldosterone excretion in the whitebellied sunbird Nectarinia talatala . J Comp Physiol B 174, 341–346 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-004-0419-3

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-004-0419-3

Key words

Search

Navigation