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Contaminant Impacts on Avian Cognition and Migratory Behaviour

      From endocrine disruptors to neurotoxic pesticides...

Migrating birds are potentially exposed to hundreds if not thousands of toxic chemicals released from urban, agricultural and industrial uses over a broad geographic range.  The ability for a bird to effectively judge when to depart, successfully navigate the route, and endure the flight distance are all vital to ensure survival but are also known to directly impact reproductive performance. While largely overlooked, there is evidence of connection between several classes of environmental contaminants and impaired migratory ability of birds.

 

 

New ecotoxicological research is evaluating how exposure to these chemicals can lead to lasting sublethal impacts related to migration. Since migration in birds typically involves 3 major stages: the pre-migratory period, flight period and landing/recovery, our research is exploring the potential mechanisms for various contaminant groups (endocrine disruptors, aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists, and neurotoxic insecticides) to affect birds’ ability to initiate and complete these migration stages.

 

We are conducting studies of migratory behaviour including orientation, activity, cognition and learning in response to neurotoxicant exposure.  This work involves several studies including:

 

1) validating the use of European starlings as a model songbird for captive migration studies (Flahr et al. 2015 ES&T)

2) testing the latent behavioural and cognitive effects of early developmental exposure to Aroclor 1254 (a known thyroid hormone disruptor) using Emlen funnel trials (Flahr et al. 2015 ES&T) and modified radial arm mazes (Zahara et al. 2015 ET&C)

3) comparing the short term neurotoxic responses of insecticides (imidacloprid and chlorpyrifos) in captive and free living songbirds (Dr. Maragaret Eng in collaboration with Bridget Stutchbury at York University)

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