DOI: 10.5061/dryad.n5tb2rc0w
title: Data from: Novel approaches for assessing acclimatization in birds reveal seasonal changes in peripheral heat exchange and thermoregulatory behaviors

description: Using thermography and behavioral analyses, we found that heat exchange
 and thermoregulatory behaviors changed seasonally in chipping sparrows
 (Spizella passerina). Studies on seasonal acclimatization in birds have
 primarily involved metabolic measurements, few of which have investigated
 behaviors, and none have investigated changes in peripheral heat exchange.
 We captured chipping sparrows in the winter and summer of 2022 in
 Wilmington, North Carolina, and we collected thermal images of these birds
 at 15.0°, 27.5°, and 40.0°C. We found that heat dissipation through the
 bill and legs changed seasonally, but surprisingly both were higher in
 winter than in summer. We found that heat dissipating behaviors were more
 common in winter, whereas heat conserving behaviors were more common in
 summer, and that behaviors associated with resource costs (e.g., panting)
 or predation risk (e.g., bill tucking) showed the most distinct
 differences between seasons. Meanwhile, low-cost and low-risk postural
 adjustments (e.g., feather adjustments and tarsus exposure) did not vary
 as strongly between seasons but followed similar trends. The seasonal
 adjustments to behaviors suggest that non-acclimatized birds must use
 costly thermoregulatory behaviors more frequently than acclimatized birds.
 The use of thermography catalyzed the discovery of one completely novel
 behavior, and the first detection of a known behavior in a new species.
 Both novel behaviors aided in evaporative heat loss and occurred more
 commonly in winter, supporting the presence of seasonal acclimatization as
 evidenced by behavioral adjustments. These results provide novel insights
 to the process of acclimatization and suggest a role of behavioral
 adjustments in seasonal acclimatization.
description: These data were collected from thermal images collected during
 experiments on chipping sparrows (<em>Spizella passerina</em>)
 during the winter and summer of 2022. In summary, the experiments were
 conducted at 15°C (below the thermoneutral zone), 27.5°C (within the
 thermoneutral zone), and 40°C (above the thermoneutral zone) and involved
 the use of a thermal imaging camera to measure the surface temperatures of
 birds. We then collected measurements of the surface temperature of the
 bill, legs, and eye region, which are regions of interest for
 thermoregulation, and we instantaneously and continuously sampled
 behavioral data of the birds during the experiment. We then processed
 these data using mixed effects modeling.
description: R is
 necessary for the analysis, and we recommend using R Studio for
 convenience and ease of installation for the necessary R packages
 associated with the analysis.
description: # Novel approaches for assessing acclimatization in birds reveal seasonal
 changes in peripheral heat exchange and thermoregulatory behaviors The
 files titled "CHSP22.csv", "continuous.csv",
 "morph.csv", "tminmax", "CHSP.temps.csv",
 and "rh.data.csv" contain the data for "Novel approaches
 for assessing acclimatization in birds reveal seasonal changes in
 peripheral heat exchange and thermoregulatory behaviors". These data
 were collected from thermal images collected during experiments on
 Chipping Sparrows (*Spizella passerina*) during the winter and summer of
 2022. In summary, the experiments were conducted at 15°C (below the
 thermoneutral zone), 27.5°C (within the thermoneutral zone), and 40°C
 (above the thermoneutral zone) and involved the use of a thermal imaging
 camera to measurethe surface temperatures of birds. The data come in the
 form of A) measurements of the surface temperature of the bill, legs, and
 eye region, which are regions of interest for thermoregulation
 (CHSP22.csv), and B) instantaneously (CHSP22.csv) and continuously
 (continuous.csv) sampled behavioral data of the birds during the
 experiment. Data on the morphology of each test subject are contained in
 "morph.csv". Data on the ambient temperature and relative
 humidity inside the thermography chamber during each experiment are
 contained in "CHSP.temps.csv" and "rh.data.csv",
 respectively. Local climate data during the study period are contained in
 "tminmax.csv". ## Description of the Data and file structure The
 file titled "CHSP.R" is an R script that contains the code for
 all statistical analyses and figures in the manuscript. The files titled
 "CHSP22.csv", "continuous.csv", "morph.csv",
 "CHSP.temps.csv", and "rh.data.csv" contain the data
 for "Novel approaches for assessing acclimatization in birds reveal
 seasonal changes in peripheral heat exchange and thermoregulatory
 behaviors". Values of NA in the data represent instances when the
 bird was facing away from the camera during behavioral sampling or during
 measurements of surface temperature; these may also result for specific
 body parts (the bill or legs) if they were tucked away for heat retention
 during the cold temperature treatment. Below is a description for each of
 the columns in the datasheets. The units are listed at the end of the
 description where applicable. Variables in 'CHSP22.csv': bird:
 the individual bird's assigned ID number temp: the ambient
 temperature during the experiment (degrees Celsius) minute: the minute
 from which data were extracted during the second half of the temperature
 treatment tall: 'tall' is an abbreviation of the binary variable
 for the presence of the tarsus exposure behavior gape: binary variable for
 the presence of panting behavior bill.tucked: binary variable for the
 presence of bill tucking behavior legs.tucked: binary variable for the
 presence of leg tucking behavior eye.reg.max: the maximum temperature of
 the eye region (degrees Celsius) bill.mean: the average bill surface
 temperature (degrees Celsius) leg.mean: the average leg surface
 temperature (degrees Celsius) season: the season (winter or summer) during
 which the experiment was conducted puff.level.1 binary variable for the
 presence of feather sleeking puff.level.2 binary variable for the presence
 of neutral feather posture puff.level.3 binary variable for the presence
 of full ptiloerection Variables in 'continuous.csv': bird: the
 individual bird's assigned ID number season: the season (winter or
 summer) during which the experiment was conducted birdid: the individual
 bird's assigned ID number combined with the season during which the
 experiment was conducted wet: binary variable for the presence of tip
 wetting Variables in 'morph.csv': birdid: the individual
 bird's assigned ID number combined with the season during which the
 experiment was conducted pre.weight: the weight of the individual before
 the experiment (grams) post.weight: the weight of the individual after the
 experiment (grams) tarsus: the length of the individual's
 tarsometatarsus (millimeters) tarsus.width: the medial width of the
 individual's tarsometatarsus (millimeters) tarsus.width2: the lateral
 width of the individual's tarsometatarsus (millimeters) bill.length:
 the length of the individual's bill from the anterior edge of the
 nares to the tip (millimeters) bill.width: the width of the
 individual's bill at the anterior edge of the nares (millimeters)
 bill.depth: the depth of the individual's bill at the anterior edge
 of the nares (millimeters) wing: the length of the individual's wing
 from wrist to tip (millimeters) tail: the length of the individual's
 tail from base of the pygostyle to the tip of the tail (millimeters)
 season: the season (winter or summer) during which the experiment was
 conducted Variables in 'rh.data.csv': bird: the individual
 bird's assigned ID number birdid: the individual bird's assigned
 ID number combined with the season during which the experiment was
 conducted season: the season (winter or summer) during which the
 experiment was conducted rh15: the relative humidity inside the
 thermography chamber during each individual's 15 degree celsius
 treatment rh27: the relative humidity inside the thermography chamber
 during each individual's 27.5 degree celsius treatment rh40: the
 relative humidity inside the thermography chamber during each
 individual's 40 degree celsius treatment Variables in
 'tminmax.csv': season: the season to which the measurement (tmin
 or tmax; see below) corresponds tmin: mean minimum temperature by day for
 Wilmington, NC from 14 January to 26 February (degrees F) tmax: mean
 maximum temperature by day for Wilmington, NC from 10 May to 14 July
 (degrees F) Variables in 'CHSP.temps.csv': trial: birdid (see
 below) combined with the trial temperature Thermo: the ambient temperature
 during the experiment measured by a thermocouple (degrees Celsius) season:
 the season (winter or summer) during which the experiment was conducted
 temp: the ambient temperature during the experiment (degrees Celsius)
 birdid: the individual bird's assigned ID number combined with the
 season during which the experiment was conducted ## Sharing/access
 Information Links to other publicly accessible locations of the data: NA
 Was data derived from another source? No If yes, list source(s):