An investigation of physiological effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on a long-distance migratory seabird, the northern gannet.

Exposure to oil can have long-term impacts on migratory birds. Following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), we investigated potential impacts of oil exposure on a population of northern gannets (Morus bassanus) that breed on Bonaventure Island (Québec, Canada) and winter in GOM and along the U.S.

Do wild-caught urban house sparrows show desensitized stress responses to a novel stressor?

While urbanization exposes individuals to novel challenges, urban areas may also constitute stable environments in which seasonal fluctuations are buffered. Baseline and stress-induced plasma corticosterone (cort) levels are often found to be similar in urban and rural populations. Here we aimed to disentangle two possible mechanisms underlying such pattern: (i) urban environments are no more stressful or urban birds have a better ability to habituate to stressors; or (ii) urban birds developed desensitized stress responses.

Supplementary feeding increases nestling feather corticosterone early in the breeding season in house sparrows.

Several studies on birds have proposed that a lack of invertebrate prey in urbanized areas could be the main cause for generally lower levels of breeding success compared to rural habitats. Previous work on house sparrows found that supplemental feeding in urbanized areas increased breeding success but did not contribute to population growth. Here, we hypothesize that supplementary feeding allows house sparrows to achieve higher breeding success but at the cost of lower nestling quality.

Feather corticosterone during non-breeding correlates with multiple measures of physiology during subsequent breeding in a migratory seabird.

Carry-over effects in migratory birds are likely mediated by physiological processes that are activated in response to environmental variation. Such processes affect body condition and/or reproductive success, and can include corticosterone (CORT) because this hormone responds to environmental stressors and influences energy balance. Few studies have considered how CORT levels during non-breeding relate to a broader physiological profile during subsequent breeding, and fewer still have considered measures other than body condition.