Chicks of cavity-nesting birds do not ‘exercise’ prior to fledging

TL;DR

European starling chicks show some active behaviors before fledging, but these do not improve their physical or physiological development.

Contribution

This study challenges the assumption that pre-fledging exercise improves development in cavity-nesting birds.

Findings

Increased wing flapping and active behaviors in starling chicks did not correlate with improved somatic or physiological development.

Haematocrit levels showed a weak negative relationship with time spent wing flapping or standing.

Pre-fledging exercise does not appear to enhance aerobic capacity in starling chicks.

Abstract

Fledging represents a key life-history transition involving a rapid increase in workload associated with a rapid transition from sedentary nestling to volant, active fledgling. Here, we tested the idea that chicks might prepare for fledging through increased voluntary activity (‘exercise’) and whether this would impact somatic and physiological development. European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) chicks, in cavity nests, increased levels of putative exercise (wing flapping), and more general active behaviours (e.g. perching, standing) in the five days up to fledging. However, facultative mass loss and wing growth between days 15 and 20 were independent of time spent wing flapping, standing or perching and, counterintuitively, we found a weak negative relationship between haematocrit (a measure of aerobic capacity) and time spent wing flapping or standing. Thus, although exercise is commonly associated with an increase in haematocrit in other species, this does not appear to be a mechanism for increasing pre-fledging haematocrit in chicks. Despite widespread anecdotal observations of flight preparation (e.g. wing flapping) in larger seabirds and raptors, our data suggest that exercise, or increased activity in general, does not contribute to improved development just prior to fledging: starling chicks do not ‘exercise’ enough to show somatic or physiological effects.

Figures