Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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Bryant D.M. & Westerterp K.R. (1980) The energy budget of the House Martin Delichon urbica. ARDEA 68 (1-4): 91-102
The energy expenditure of breeding House Martins Delichon urbica was investigated using the doubly labelled water (0,0 18) technique. Average daily metabolic rate (ADMR) for 79 birds at all stages of breeding was examined for correlation with adult attributes, environmental conditions and time and activity budgets. Several significant correlations were identified, but in multiple regression analysis two were especially prominent (% observation period in flight and % flight time in flapping flight) and explained 30% of variability in ADMR. Energy expenditure for breeding adults was lowest for territorial males (2.44 x BMR) and highest for adults rearing broods (3.59 x BMR). Adults with young had the additional task of provisioning the brood and generally required twice the metabolizable energy of any other stage. Comparisons of feeding rates with food requirements showed that whilst on average birds were potentially in energy balance, adverse conditions could easily lead to imbalance because 81% daylenght was required to meet the demands of the commonest brood size.


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