Behavioural responses to heat in an arid-zone bird vary with thermal, hygric and social factors.
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| Title: | Behavioural responses to heat in an arid-zone bird vary with thermal, hygric and social factors. |
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| Authors: | Whyte, J. R. D.1,2 (AUTHOR), McKechnie, A. E.2,3 (AUTHOR) aemckechnie@zoology.up.ac.za, Crossley, J. K.1,2 (AUTHOR), Cunningham, S. J.1 (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Oecologia. Apr2026, Vol. 208 Issue 4, p1-12. 12p. |
| Abstract: | The severity of fitness costs resulting from behavioural trade-offs between heat dissipation and activities such as foraging is increasing with advancing climate change. In terrestrial habitats, shade and water may buffer individuals from the negative effects of heat exposure, as may load-lightening in group-living species. We tested the hypothesis that thermal and hygric properties of home ranges (shade and water availability) and social factors (group size) influence the costs associated with hot weather, using a population of white-browed sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser mahali) in the southern Kalahari Desert. Across all sparrow-weaver groups, heat avoidance (shade-seeking) and dissipation (panting) behaviours increased with increasing air temperature (Tair), whereas foraging declined. Birds occupying shadier home ranges delayed the onset of panting to higher Tair and foraged less while maintaining overall peck rates. Birds with access to water foraged more, maintained higher peck rates and sought shade at higher Tair compared to birds without. However, they did not pant more, making the mechanism underpinning their increased foraging effort unclear. Birds in larger groups both panted more overall and sought shade at lower Tair than birds in smaller groups but maintained similar overall peck rates. Taken together, these results suggest birds in shadier home ranges can forage more efficiently, buffering foraging costs at high Tair. Our data therefore suggest that some impacts of increasing Tair under climate change can be buffered by shade availability, but the impacts of water availability and social factors are less clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Database: | Energy & Power Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: enr DbLabel: Energy & Power Source An: 192802534 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Behavioural responses to heat in an arid-zone bird vary with thermal, hygric and social factors. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Whyte%2C+J%2E+R%2E+D%2E%22">Whyte, J. R. D.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22McKechnie%2C+A%2E+E%2E%22">McKechnie, A. E.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> aemckechnie@zoology.up.ac.za</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Crossley%2C+J%2E+K%2E%22">Crossley, J. K.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cunningham%2C+S%2E+J%2E%22">Cunningham, S. J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Oecologia%22">Oecologia</searchLink>. Apr2026, Vol. 208 Issue 4, p1-12. 12p. – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The severity of fitness costs resulting from behavioural trade-offs between heat dissipation and activities such as foraging is increasing with advancing climate change. In terrestrial habitats, shade and water may buffer individuals from the negative effects of heat exposure, as may load-lightening in group-living species. We tested the hypothesis that thermal and hygric properties of home ranges (shade and water availability) and social factors (group size) influence the costs associated with hot weather, using a population of white-browed sparrow-weavers (Plocepasser mahali) in the southern Kalahari Desert. Across all sparrow-weaver groups, heat avoidance (shade-seeking) and dissipation (panting) behaviours increased with increasing air temperature (Tair), whereas foraging declined. Birds occupying shadier home ranges delayed the onset of panting to higher Tair and foraged less while maintaining overall peck rates. Birds with access to water foraged more, maintained higher peck rates and sought shade at higher Tair compared to birds without. However, they did not pant more, making the mechanism underpinning their increased foraging effort unclear. Birds in larger groups both panted more overall and sought shade at lower Tair than birds in smaller groups but maintained similar overall peck rates. Taken together, these results suggest birds in shadier home ranges can forage more efficiently, buffering foraging costs at high Tair. Our data therefore suggest that some impacts of increasing Tair under climate change can be buffered by shade availability, but the impacts of water availability and social factors are less clear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=enr&AN=192802534 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1007/s00442-026-05888-4 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Behavioural responses to heat in an arid-zone bird vary with thermal, hygric and social factors. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Whyte, J. R. D. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: McKechnie, A. E. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Crossley, J. K. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cunningham, S. J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 04 Text: Apr2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00298549 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 208 – Type: issue Value: 4 Titles: – TitleFull: Oecologia Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
