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Body composition of American Woodcock during fall staging: a validation of the non-invasive deuterium dilution method

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Abstract

We conducted the first validation of the deuterium dilution method as a nonlethal technique for estimating the body composition of a shorebird during fall staging as birds fatten in preparation for their migration. For this validation, we captured male (n = 12) and female (n = 8) American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) in the fall of 2018 and 2019 in southern New England, USA. We developed predictive models for estimating body composition of woodcock given each bird’s body mass and deuterium space, a proxy for total body water space, estimated using the deuterium dilution method. Accuracy and precision of these predictive models were assessed by comparing the model predictions with directly measured body composition. The top models predicted whole-body lean and fat mass with a relative error of 1.37% and 11.26%, respectively. In comparison, conventionally used morphology-based condition indices were poor predictors of fat mass in fall-staging woodcock. We applied this method to accurately estimate body composition dynamics of woodcock during fall staging, a period of fattening in the annual cycle that is pertinent to subsequent migratory movements, phenology, survival, and habitat management for woodcock. This nonlethal technique also has broad applicability to other migratory birds that show substantial changes in body composition as they prepare for key life-history events such as migration.

Zusammenfassung

Körperzusammensetzung von Kanadaschnepfen in herbstlichen Rastgebieten: eine Validierung der nichtinvasiven Deuterium-Verdünnungsmethode

Wir führten die erste Validierung der Deuterium-Verdünnungsmethode als nichtletale Technik zur Einschätzung der Körperzusammensetzung bei einer Limikolenart am herbstlichen Rastplatz durch, wenn die Vögel sich in Vorbereitung auf den Zug Fettreserven anlegen. Zur Durchführung dieser Validierung fingen wir Männchen (n = 12) und Weibchen (n = 8) der Kanadaschnepfe Scolopax minor im Herbst 2018 und 2019 im südlichen Neuengland, USA. Wir entwickelten Vorhersagemodelle zur Einschätzung der Körperzusammensetzung der Kanadaschnepfen anhand von Körpermasse und Deuteriumanteil eines jeden Vogels; letzteres diente als stellvertretendes Maß für den Gesamtwassergehalt des Körpers und wurde mittels der Deuterium-Verdünnungsmethode geschätzt. Genauigkeit und Präzision dieser Vorhersagemodelle wurden durch Vergleich der Modellvorhersagen mit der direkt gemessenen Körperzusammensetzung bewertet. Die besten Modelle sagten die Fett- und Magermasse des Körpers mit einem relativen Fehler von 1,37% beziehungsweise 11,26% voraus. Verglichen hiermit lieferten konventionelle morphologische Konditionsindizes nur schlechte Vorhersagen der Fettmasse der Kanadaschnepfen an herbstlichen Rast- und Sammelplätzen. Die Anwendung dieser Methode ermöglichte die korrekte Einschätzung der Körperkonditionsdynamik von Kanadaschnepfen während der herbstlichen Rast- und Sammelphase, einer Zeit im Jahreszyklus, während der Fettreserven gebildet werden und die daher relevant für spätere Zugbewegungen, Phänologie und Überlebensraten sowie das Habitatmanagement für die Kanadaschnepfe ist. Diese nicht-letale Technik hat außerdem ein breites Anwendungspotenzial bei anderen Zugvögeln, bei denen starken Veränderungen in der Körperzusammensetzung in Vorbereitung auf wichtige biologische Ereignisse, wie zum Beispiel den Zug, auftreten.

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Data availability

Data are available in dryad. https://datadryad.org/stash/share/T46JIJrrCeX9T8poGIJtFF8knjQ2QFzDmhc5ocGyHKg.

Code availability

Code will be made available upon acceptance.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the following for their knowledgeable advice and assistance in the field and lab: C. Slezak, P. Woodward, C. Cooper-Mullin, K. Demoranville, W. Carter, A Frawley, L Corcoran, S. Clode, R. McKinney, M. Muller, and A. Huth. We thank Dr. C. Lee for the use of his Food Science and Nutrition Laboratory at URI in which we conducted some of the carcass analyses. A. Huth provided additional forms of indispensable logistical support, advice, and assistance. This is contribution number XXXX of the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station.

Funding

This study was funded by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management via the USFWS Wildlife and Sport Fisheries Restoration to RI project W23R (Job 1–12), the Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station, and the College of Environment and Life Sciences at the University of Rhode Island (URI) to SRM. Agricultural Experiment Statio, (Grant number: RI0017-MS-981).

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  1. Department of Natural Resources Science, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, USA

    Clayton L. Graham & Scott R. McWilliams

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  1. Clayton L. Graham
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SRM and CLG developed and designed the research. CLG conducted the research. CLG wrote the paper with substantial input from SRM. CLG analyzed the data. SRM contributed substantial resources.

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Correspondence to Clayton L. Graham.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All birds were captured under a master bander permit from the U.S. Geological Survey Bird Banding Laboratory, and all research activities were approved by the University of Rhode Island Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (#AN10-02-017). This research was conducted in compliance with the Guidelines to the Use of Wild Birds in Research.

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Communicated by C. G. Guglielmo.

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Graham, C.L., McWilliams, S.R. Body composition of American Woodcock during fall staging: a validation of the non-invasive deuterium dilution method. J Ornithol 163, 213–222 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-021-01929-2

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