Energy metabolism and body temperature in the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) with comparative data on the Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and the White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

Prinzinger, Roland; Nagel, B.; Bahat, Ofer; Bögel, R.; Karl, Ewald; Weihs, D.; Walzer, Chris

doi:10.1007/bf02465600

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…These results suggested a decrease in the capacity to cope with intra‐seasonal changes in temperature. Within their natural environment, griffon vultures are exposed to both high temperatures in southern Europe and the Middle East and to low temperatures during flight at high altitudes and have developed metabolic and physiological adaptations to harsh climatic conditions (Prinzinger et al ). Therefore, in adult individuals, meteorological conditions at the Causses study site are not expected to greatly affect survival.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, in adult individuals, meteorological conditions at the Causses study site are not expected to greatly affect survival. To cope with changes in ambient temperature and limit the expenditure of energy, the body temperature of griffon vultures increases or decreases in relation to the ambient temperature, which buffers their metabolic rate over a large temperature range (Bahat et al , Prinzinger et al ). We hypothesize that metabolism degradation due to senescence may reduce the effectiveness of this regulation mechanism.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Age‐related variation and temporal patterns in the survival of a long‐lived scavenger

Chantepie

Teplitsky

Pavard

et al. 2015

Oikos

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Although senescence has been described for various fitness components in a wide range of animal species, few studies have studied senescence in long‐lived species, and little is known about its interactions with varying environmental conditions. Using a 32 year capture–mark–recapture dataset on the griffon vulture Gyps fulvus, we examined the demographic patterns of actuarial senescence and the patterns of year‐to‐year variation in survival rates. We found a significant, surprisingly late, decrease of annual survival probabilities from the age of 28 years onward and divided individual lifetimes into to three categories (juvenile, mid‐age and senescent birds). In agreement with the environmental canalization hypothesis, our analyses uncovered 1) higher temporal variation of annual survival probabilities in both the juvenile and senescent age classes compared to the mid‐age class and 2) low sensitivity of the population growth rate to the survival of both the juvenile and senescent age classes. Our results further suggested that the temporal variation in the survival of senescent birds might be related to intra‐annual changes in air temperature amplitudes. Finally, using population dynamics modeling, we revealed contrasting effects of the inclusion of the senescent age class on predicted population growth, depending on how survival rates were modeled. Altogether, our results demonstrate the existence of a class of senescent birds that exhibit distinct demographic properties compared to juvenile and mid‐age classes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Age‐related variation and temporal patterns in the survival of a long‐lived scavenger

Chantepie

Teplitsky

Pavard

et al. 2015

Oikos

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“…Nonetheless, once our knowledge about applying accelerometers improves, the high‐resolution time and energy data they will likely provide will be valuable for comparative studies between bird species (Prinzinger et al 2002, Zahedi and Khan 2007). Furthermore, such data may be useful for conservation physiologists (Wikelski and Cooke 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Recording raptor behavior on the wing via accelerometry

Halsey

Portugal

Smith

et al. 2009

Journal of Field Ornithology

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Measuring body movements using accelerometry data loggers is a relatively new technique, the full applicability of which has yet to be tested on volant birds. Our study illustrates the potential of accelerometry for research on large birds by using the technique to record the behavior of three species of raptors, mainly during flight. A tri‐axial accelerometer was deployed on a trained Harris’ Hawk (Parabuteo unicinctus), Tawny Eagle (Aquila rapax), and Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus). Comparison of flight‐related variables calculated from video footage and that estimated from the acceleration data showed that the latter provided considerable and accurate information (usually <10% error) about the behavior of the birds, including wing‐beat frequency and when they glided and flapped. Acceleration data permitted tentative comparisons of relative movement‐specific rates of energy expenditure for the Griffon Vulture flying up versus flying down a small hill. The accelerometry data appeared to suggest, as expected, that the Griffon Vulture expended more energy flying uphill than flying back down. Our preliminary findings indicate that studies using accelerometers can likely provide information about the detailed time–energy budgets of large birds. Such information would aid in comparative analyses of behavior and energetics, and may also enhance efforts to conserve declining bird populations.

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“…Vultures are large obligate scavengers that rely on thermal and orographic uplift for their soaring flight that enables them to cover long distances in search of carcasses [ 21 ]. Because carcasses are an irregular and unpredictable resource, vultures frequently experience long intervals between successive feedings and are adapted to cope with fasting periods of up to two weeks without detrimental effects [ 22 , 23 ]. Field studies have shown that griffon vultures ( Gyps fulvus ) regularly fast for several days between successive meals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed strategies of griffon vultures’ (Gyps fulvus) response to food deprivation lead to a hump-shaped movement pattern

et al. 2013

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BackgroundThe need to obtain food is a critical proximate driver of an organism’s movement that shapes the foraging and survival of individual animals. Consequently, the relationship between hunger and foraging has received considerable attention, leading to the common conception that hunger primarily enhances a “food-intake maximization” (FIMax) strategy and intensive search. A complementary explanation, however, suggests a trade-off with precautions taken to reduce the risk of physiological collapse from starvation, under a strategy we denote as “energy-expenditure minimization” (EEMin). The FImax-EEmin trade-off may interact with the forager’s hunger level to shape a complex (non-monotonic) response pattern to increasing hunger. Yet, this important trade-off has rarely been investigated, particularly in free-ranging wild animals.We explored how hunger affects the movements of adult griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) in southern Israel. Transmitters combining GPS and accelerometers provided high-resolution data on vultures’ movements and behavior, enabling the identification of feeding events and the estimation of food deprivation periods (FDPs, measured in days), which is used as a proxy for hunger.ResultsData from 47 vultures, tracked for 339 ± 36 days, reveal high variability in FDPs. While flight speed, flight straightness and the proportion of active flights were invariant in relation to food deprivation, a clear hump-shaped response was found for daily flight distances, maximal displacements and flight elevation. These movement characteristics increased during the first five days of the FDP sequence and decreased during the following five days. These characteristics also differed between short FDPs of up to four days, and the first four days of longer FDP sequences.These results suggest a switch from FIMax to EEMin strategies along the FDP sequence. They also indicate that vultures’ response to hunger affected the eventual duration of the FDP. During winter (the vultures’ incubation period characterized by unfavorable soaring meteorological conditions), the vultures’ FIMax response was less intensive and resulted in longer starvation periods, while, in summer, more intensive FIMax response to hunger resulted in shorter FDPs.ConclusionsOur results show a flexible, non-monotonic response of free-ranging wild animals to increasing hunger levels, reflecting a trade-off between increasing motivation to find food and the risk of starvation. The proposed trade-off offers a unifying perspective to apparently contradictory or case-specific empirical findings.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/2051-3933-1-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Energy metabolism and body temperature in the Griffon Vulture (Gyps fulvus) with comparative data on the Hooded Vulture (Necrosyrtes monachus) and the White-backed Vulture (Gyps africanus)

Cited by 19 publications

References 28 publications

Age‐related variation and temporal patterns in the survival of a long‐lived scavenger

Age‐related variation and temporal patterns in the survival of a long‐lived scavenger

Recording raptor behavior on the wing via accelerometry

Mixed strategies of griffon vultures’ (Gyps fulvus) response to food deprivation lead to a hump-shaped movement pattern

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