Physiological Adaptations to Migration in Australian Birds

Funding: 2000: $38,000
2001: $32,000

Funding or Partner Organisation: Australian Research Council (ARC Large Grant)

Start year: 2000

Summary: The importance of endogenous control mechanisms in Australian migratory systems remains largely unknown, although research into Northern Hemisphere migratory birds has shown that they have numberous physiological adaptations to their migratory lifestyle. This research will begin to fill this gap in understanding by assessing the annual cycle of locomotor activity, body condition and food consumption of migratory and sedentary Silvereyes, Zosterops lateralis, and will determine whether Australian migratory birds have developed physiological adaptations to their migratory habit. By providing information on their feeding biology, the research will also create baseline data for management plans for Silvereyes, a major pest in fruit growing areas.

Publications:

Funnell, JR & Munro, U 2010, 'Daily and seasonal activity patterns of partially migratory and nonmigratory subspecies of the Australian silvereye, Zosterops lateralis, in captivity', Journal of Ethology, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 471-482.
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Munro, UH 2003, 'Life-history and ecophysiological adaptations to migration in Australian birds' in Berthold, P, Gwinner, E & Sonnenschein, E (eds), Avian Migration, Springer, Berlin- Germany, pp. 141-154.

Wiltschko, W, Munro, U, Ford, H & Wiltschko, R 2003, 'Magnetic orientation in birds: non–compass responses under monochromatic light of increased intensity', Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences, vol. 270, no. 1529, pp. 2133-2140.
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FOR Codes: Terrestrial Ecology, Biological sciences, Animal Physiology-Systems, Zoology not elsewhere classified, Animal Physiology - Systems, Terrestrial ecology

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the Boorooberongal people of the Dharug Nation, the Bidiagal people and the Gamaygal people, upon whose ancestral lands our university stands. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands.