Manipulation of photoperiod induces fat storage, but not fat mobilization in the migratory songbird, Dumetella carolinensis (Gray Catbird).

The annual cycle of migratory birds requires significant phenotypic remodeling. We sought to induce the migratory phenotype in Gray Catbirds by exposing them to a short-day light cycle. While adipose storage was stimulated, exceeding that typically seen in wild birds, other aspects of the migratory phenotype were unchanged.

Energetic costs of bill heat exchange demonstrate contributions to thermoregulation at high temperatures in toco toucans (Ramphastos toco).

Body temperature regulation under changes in ambient temperature involves adjustments in heat production and heat exchange rates between the animal and the environment. One mechanism involves the modulation of the surface temperature of specific areas of the body through vasomotor adjustment. In homeotherms, this thermoregulatory adjustment is essential for the maintenance of body temperature over a moderate temperature range, known as the thermal neutral zone (TNZ).