Comparative physiology of five tropical montane songbirds reveals differential seasonal acclimatisation and cold adaption

Abstract

The physiology of tropical birds is poorly understood, particularly in how it relates to local climate and changes between seasons. This is particularly true of tropical montane species, which may have sensitive thermal tolerances to local microclimates. We studied metabolic rates (using open flow respirometry), body mass and haemoglobin concentrations of five sedentary Mesoamerican songbirds between the summer and winter at two elevations (1550 m and 1950 m, respectively). We asked whether there were uniform seasonal shifts in physiological traits across species, and whether higher elevation species displayed evidence for cold tolerance. Seasonal shifts in metabolic rates differed between the three species for which data were collected. Basal metabolic rates in one species - black-headed nightingalethrushes Catharus mexicanus - were up-regulated in summer (~19% increase of winter metabolism), however two other species displayed no seasonal regulation. No species exhibited shifts in haemoglobin concentrations across season or across elevation, whereas body mass in two species was significantly higher in the summer. One species restricted to higher elevations - ruddy-capped nightingale-thrushes C. frantzii - displayed physiological traits indicative of cold-tolerance. Although only summer data were available for this species (C. frantzii), metabolic rates were constant across temperatures tested (5-34{degrees}C) and haemoglobin concentrations were significantly higher compared to the other four species. Our results suggest that seasonal acclimatisation in physiological traits is variable between species and appear unrelated to changes in local climate. As such, the distinct physiological traits observed in ruddy-capped nightingale-thrushes likely relate to historic isolation and conserved physiological traits rather than contemporary climatic adaption.