Barn swallows and purple martins convert precursors to long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids: implications for conservation of riparian- vs inland-nesting habitats.

ABSTRACT: For aerial insectivorous birds, whose populations have declined significantly in North America, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) that are more abundant in aquatic-emergent insects than terrestrial insects, are important for the development, somatic growth, and health of young birds. Some bird species, however, can convert shorter chain PUFA that occur abundantly in terrestrial insects into LC-PUFA. Our study aimed to evaluate the ability of two aerial insectivore species to synthesize their own LC-PUFA. We hypothesized that terrestrially associated aerial insectivores rely on higher fatty acid conversion rates compared to those associated with wetlands and riparian habitats. We fed wild barn swallow (Hirundo rustica) and purple martin (Progne subis) nestlings

SUBMITTER: Genier CSV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12629658 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature