Seasonal thermoregulation in the burrowing parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus)

Birds exposed to seasonal environments are faced with the problem of maintaining thermogenic homoeostasis. Previous studies have established that birds native to the Holarctic increase their Resting Metabolic Rate at different ambient temperatures (RMRTa) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) in winter as an adaptation to cold temperature since winters are more severe, while their non-Holarctic counterparts generally decrease their winter BMR as an energy saving mechanism during unproductive and dry winter months. In this study, we examined seasonal thermoregulation in the burrowing parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus), a colonial psittacine native to the Patagonian region of Argentina, a region with an unpredictable environment. We found significantly higher mass specific RMRTa and BMR in summer than in winter. Both summer and winter BMR of the species fell within the predicted 95% confident interval for a parrot of its size. Body mass was significantly higher in winter than in summer. The burrowing parrot had broad thermo-neutral zones in winter and summer. The circadian rhythm of core body temperature (Tb) of burrowing parrots was not affected by season, showing that this species regulated its Tb irrespective of season. These results suggest that the burrowing parrots' seasonal thermoregulatory responses represent that of energy conservation which is important in an unpredictable environment.

► Seasonal thermoregulation in the burrowing parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus) was tested. ► Basal metabolic rate was higher in summer than in winter. ► The thermo-neutral zone was broad in both seasons. ► Birds regulated their core body temperature irrespective of season. ► Thermoregulatory responses represent energy conservation for an unpredictable environment.