Food insecurity increases energetic efficiency, not food consumption: an exploratory study in European starlings.

ABSTRACT: Food insecurity-defined as limited or unpredictable access to nutritionally adequate food-is associated with higher body mass in humans and birds. It is widely assumed that food insecurity-induced fattening is caused by increased food consumption, but there is little evidence supporting this in any species. We developed a novel technology for measuring foraging, food intake and body mass in small groups of aviary-housed European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). Across four exploratory experiments, we demonstrate that birds responded to 1-2 weeks of food insecurity by increasing their body mass despite eating less. Food-insecure birds therefore increased their energetic efficiency, calculated as the body mass maintained per unit of food consumed. Mass gain was greater in birds that were

SUBMITTER: Bateson M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8166238 | biostudies-literature | 2021

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature