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Behavioral thermoregulation in mammals and birds

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Abstract

Thermoregulation in homoiotherms is achieved by physiological and behavioural adjustments which involve the musculature, skin, sensory capacities, hypothalamus and endocrine glands. Under thermal stress animals exhibit anorexia, body extension, gasping, languor, lethargy, excessive drinking, bathing, decreased locomotor activities, group dispersion, and shade seeking. When exposed to cold, animals show body flexure, huddling, hyperphagia, extra locomotor activities, depressed respiration and nest building. Species and breed differences in the behavioural adjustments to unfavourable climates are related to habitat, morphological characteristics of body covering, degree of physiological adaptability, degree of physiological immaturity at birth or hatching, and the number of young.

Zusammenfassung

Die WÄrmeregulation in Warmblütern wird durch physiologische und Verhaltens-Anpassung erreicht; darin einbezogen sind: Muskulatur, Haut, Sinnesleistungen, Hypothalamus und endokrine Drüsen. Bei Temperaturbelastung zeigt das Tier Anorexie,Körperausdehnung, Luftschnappen, SchwÄche, Lethargie, übermÄssiges Trinken, baden, Gruppenauflösung, Nachlassen der lokomotorischen AktivitÄt und Aufsuchen des Schattens. Bei KÄlte zeigen die Tiere Körpereinkrümmung, Zusammenhocken, Hyperphagie, grosse lokomotorische AktivitÄt, Senkung der Atmung, und Nestbilden. Arten und Zuchtunterschiede in der Anpassung des Verhaltens an ungünstige Klimate stehen in Beziehung zum Lebensraum, der Körperbedeckung, Ausmass physiologischer AnpassungsfÄhigkeit, Grad physiologischer Reife bei der Geburt oder beim Schlüpfen und der Zahl der Jungen.

Resume

La thermorégulation des animaux à sang chaud se produit par une adaptation de la physiologie et du comportement; la musculature, la peau, les capacités sensorielles, l'hypothalamus et les glandes endocrines y participent. Les différences spécifiques et raciales de l'adaptation du genre de vie aux climats défavorables dépendent de l'habitat, de la couverture du corps, des possibilités d'adaptation physiologique, du degré de maturation à la naissance ou à l'éclosion et du nombre de petits.

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Thanks are due to Drs. G.W.Bartholomew, D.S.Farner, J.J.Johnson, Jr., J.King, and D.Klopfer for reading the manuscript.

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Hafez, E.S.E. Behavioral thermoregulation in mammals and birds. Int J Biometeorol 7, 231–240 (1964). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02187455

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