Water requirements and drinking rates of homing pigeons: A consideration for exposure risk of migratory birds

摘要

Access to water along a bird's migratory flyway is essential during the vital process of migration. Becausernof the scarcity of water in some environments, there is potential for migratory birds to encounter and drinkrnfrom contaminated bodies of water. Ingestion of contaminated water may cause injury and compromisernflying ability, leading to a disruption of migration. To determine injury to birds from potential exposure, it isrnessential to know not only the concentration of a given contaminant in the water but also the quantity andrnrate of water consumption by the birds. Homing pigeons (Columba livia) were used in a series ofrnexperiments to determine differences in drinking behavior after various flights and after periods of resting.rnResults from the present study demonstrate that homing pigeons’ water consumption is dramaticallyrndifferent when assessed according to activity, flight distance, and time elapsed after flight. This suggests that the drinking rates of birds during migration are extremely important and much greater than estimatedrnusing traditional exposure assessment procedures. Thus, exposure to contaminants via drinking water mayrnbe greatly underestimated, and the rate of water consumption should be considered when estimatingrnpotential exposure risk to avian species.