ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in... more ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in 2010 showed that the biomass of leaf-eating insects during the first nesting cycle of the Great Tit was three times higher than that during the second cycle. As estimated from video recordings made at the nests, the proportions of leaf-eating larvae in the diet of first-and second-brood nestlings were 84.3 and 46.0%, respectively. In both cases, most of them were caterpillars of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), and their total proportion in the diet was higher in the first-than in second-brood nestlings. Lepidopteran larvae are the main source of carotenoids for the birds, and Raman spectroscopic analysis for carotenoids in ventral feathers confirmed that their content was also higher in the first-brood nestlings.
The relationship between the type of melanin-based plumage coloration and the strength of experim... more The relationship between the type of melanin-based plumage coloration and the strength of experimentally induced immune response was studied using as an example a pied flycatcher population from the Moscow Region. The plumage of pied flycatcher males exhibits the full spectrum of transitions from contrasting black-and-white to cryptic brownish, the latter being very similar to the coloration of females. In spite of numerous studies, the nature of this polymorphism still remains vague. Unlike many other avian species with monocyclic breeding, a considerable fraction of pied flycatchers combines two energy-consuming productive processes, breeding and molt. During the main experimental treatment we activated the humoral immunity of free-living males in chick-rearing period by injection of nonpathogenic multigenic antigen (sheep red blood cells, SRBC) and estimated the strength of the immune responses after repeated captures in 6-8 days. In addition, after each capture we estimated the ...
ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in... more ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in 2010 showed that the biomass of leaf-eating insects during the first nesting cycle of the Great Tit was three times higher than that during the second cycle. As estimated from video recordings made at the nests, the proportions of leaf-eating larvae in the diet of first-and second-brood nestlings were 84.3 and 46.0%, respectively. In both cases, most of them were caterpillars of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), and their total proportion in the diet was higher in the first-than in second-brood nestlings. Lepidopteran larvae are the main source of carotenoids for the birds, and Raman spectroscopic analysis for carotenoids in ventral feathers confirmed that their content was also higher in the first-brood nestlings.
ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in... more ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in 2010 showed that the biomass of leaf-eating insects during the first nesting cycle of the Great Tit was three times higher than that during the second cycle. As estimated from video recordings made at the nests, the proportions of leaf-eating larvae in the diet of first-and second-brood nestlings were 84.3 and 46.0%, respectively. In both cases, most of them were caterpillars of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), and their total proportion in the diet was higher in the first-than in second-brood nestlings. Lepidopteran larvae are the main source of carotenoids for the birds, and Raman spectroscopic analysis for carotenoids in ventral feathers confirmed that their content was also higher in the first-brood nestlings.
The relationship between the type of melanin-based plumage coloration and the strength of experim... more The relationship between the type of melanin-based plumage coloration and the strength of experimentally induced immune response was studied using as an example a pied flycatcher population from the Moscow Region. The plumage of pied flycatcher males exhibits the full spectrum of transitions from contrasting black-and-white to cryptic brownish, the latter being very similar to the coloration of females. In spite of numerous studies, the nature of this polymorphism still remains vague. Unlike many other avian species with monocyclic breeding, a considerable fraction of pied flycatchers combines two energy-consuming productive processes, breeding and molt. During the main experimental treatment we activated the humoral immunity of free-living males in chick-rearing period by injection of nonpathogenic multigenic antigen (sheep red blood cells, SRBC) and estimated the strength of the immune responses after repeated captures in 6-8 days. In addition, after each capture we estimated the ...
ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in... more ABSTRACT Studies performed at the Zvenigorod Biological Station of the Moscow State University in 2010 showed that the biomass of leaf-eating insects during the first nesting cycle of the Great Tit was three times higher than that during the second cycle. As estimated from video recordings made at the nests, the proportions of leaf-eating larvae in the diet of first-and second-brood nestlings were 84.3 and 46.0%, respectively. In both cases, most of them were caterpillars of butterflies and moths (Lepidoptera), and their total proportion in the diet was higher in the first-than in second-brood nestlings. Lepidopteran larvae are the main source of carotenoids for the birds, and Raman spectroscopic analysis for carotenoids in ventral feathers confirmed that their content was also higher in the first-brood nestlings.
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