Cardiorespiratory adjustments of homing pigeons to steady wind tunnel flight

J Exp Biol. 2005 Aug;208(Pt 16):3109-20. doi: 10.1242/jeb.01751.

Abstract

We made detailed cardiorespiratory measurements from homing pigeons during quiet rest and steady wind tunnel flight. Our pigeons satisfied their 17.4-fold increase in oxygen consumption during flight with a 7.4-fold increase in cardiac output (Q) and a 2.4-fold increase in blood oxygen extraction. Q was increased primarily by increasing heart rate sixfold. Comparisons between our study and those from the only other detailed cardiorespiratory study on flying birds reveal a number of similarities and important differences. Although the avian allometric equations from this earlier study accurately predicted the flight Q of our pigeons, this was primarily due to due to compensating discrepancies in their heart rate and stroke volume predictions. Additionally, the measured heart mass (MH)-specific Q (Q/MH) of our pigeons during wind tunnel flight was about 22% lower than the estimated value. Compared to running mammals in previous studies, the 1.65-fold Q of our pigeons is consistent with their larger heart mass.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Temperature
  • Cardiac Output / physiology
  • Columbidae / physiology*
  • Flight, Animal / physiology*
  • Heart / anatomy & histology*
  • Heart / physiology
  • Heart Rate
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Organ Size
  • Oxygen / blood
  • Oxygen Consumption / physiology
  • Stroke Volume

Substances

  • Oxygen