Flynn Cowie | 2026 I.S. Symposium
±·²¹³¾±ð:ÌýFlynn Cowie
°Õ¾±³Ù±ô±ð:ÌýCoping Through Unpredictability: Physiological, Morphological, and Behavioral Consequences of Unpredictable Feeding in Zebra Finches (Taeniopygia guttata)
²Ñ²¹Âá´Ç°ù²õ:ÌýNeurobiology; Pscyhology
Advisor: Sharon Lynn
Unpredictable energetic stressors, a common feature of variable environments, can activate stress-response systems and adjust physiology and behavior; however, the long-term consequences of unpredictability remain incompletely understood. Over eight weeks, twenty-four captive male zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a passerine native to arid and semi-arid habitats with variable food availability, were assigned to a Control group with ad libitum access to food, or an Unpredictably Fed group that experienced daily, randomly initiated 4–6-hour fasts to test differences in physiological, morphological, and behavioral outcomes between the groups. Regrowing feathers provided measures of feather growth rate and integrated corticosterone deposition during the treatment period, while body mass and courtship behaviors represented measures of reproductive investment and maintenance of energetic state. Results indicated that Unpredictably Fed birds had higher overall feather corticosterone (ng/g) levels than Controls. Feather growth rate did not significantly differ between groups; however, Unpredictably Fed birds exhibited significantly less linear feather growth trajectories, indicating altered temporal patterns of somatic investment. A significant Week x Treatment interaction revealed distinct body mass trajectories between groups, yet body mass did not differ by treatment, indicating successful maintenance of stored energy under unpredictability. Finally, courtship behaviors, including directed song, dance, and beak wipes, did not differ significantly between treatments. Together, these findings indicate that moderate, ecologically relevant energetic unpredictability increases energetic demands, which are successfully accommodated through adjustments and trade-offs in growth dynamics and body mass regulation, allowing zebra finches to preserve core functions, including flight and courtship, rather than entering allostatic overload.
Posted in Symposium 2026 on May 1, 2026.
