DOI: 10.5061/dryad.69p8cz8zk
title: Responses of White-throated sparrows to simulated winter storm cues

description: These data were used in the publication "Increased frequency of
 exposure to simulated winter storm cues negatively affects white-throated
 sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis)" Front. Ecol. Evol. | doi:
 10.3389/fevo.2020.00222 Climate change is causing changes in weather
 patterns and more frequent extreme weather events. Although birds are
 often able to cope with and respond to inclement weather with
 physiological and behavioral responses, as weather events become more
 severe or frequent the adaptive coping responses of many species may be
 pushed beyond their limits. We investigated the effects of experimental
 recurrent inclement winter weather cues on body composition,
 glucocorticoid hormones, and behavior of white-throated sparrows
 (Zonotrichia albicollis). We used a hypobaric climatic wind tunnel to
 simulate storms by transiently decreasing barometric pressure and
 temperature, and measured behavioral responses, body composition, and
 baseline corticosterone levels in birds exposed, or not exposed (control),
 to different frequencies of simulated storms. In study 1, experimental
 birds were exposed to one storm per week over 9 weeks. In study 2,
 experimental birds were exposed to two storms per week over 12 weeks.
 Birds exposed to one simulated storm per week had higher fat and lean
 masses than control birds, with no differences in the amount of time
 groups spent feeding. This change in body composition suggests that birds
 were coping by increasing energy stores. In contrast, birds exposed to two
 simulated storms per week had lower fat masses compared to control birds,
 even though they spent more time feeding. Experimental birds in study 2
 also had lower baseline corticosterone levels than controls. These changes
 suggest that the coping response observed in study 1 was overcome in study
 2. These findings provide novel experimental evidence that birds detect
 and respond to changes in temperature and barometric pressure independent
 of other storm-related cues. One simulated storm per week resulted in
 potentially adaptive responses of increase mass. However, increasing the
 frequency of storm exposure to twice per week may exceed a physiological
 threshold for tolerance to which these songbirds are able to cope. These
 results also experimentally demonstrate that repeated exposure to
 inclement weather cues can directly affects birds’ energy reserves, with
 strong implications for survival as severe weather events continue to
 become more prevalent.
description: Full methods are reported in the open access journal article doi:
 10.3389/fevo.2020.00222 Briefly, birds were in control
 or experimental groups.  Experimental birds were exposed to simulated
 storms and control birds were exposed to ambient conditions.  The
 physiological and behavioural measures collected for studies and 1 and 2
 are provided on individal tabs of the worksheet.
 Behavioural data were extracted from video recordings using
 Noldus Ethovision software, as described in the publication.
 Body composition data were collected using quantitative magnetic
 resonance scanning using an EchoMRI body compositoin scanner.
description: Unique Bird ID are provided for each data point, along with an
 indication of the date of the sample and the group (experimental or
 control) for each bird.