Circadian and Seasonal Responses in Indian Weaver Bird: Subjective Interpretation of Day and Night Depends Upon Both Light Intensity and Contrast Between Illuminations

Abstract

This study investigated whether changes in illumination modify perception of day and night conditions in a diurnal species, the Indian weaver bird. Birds were initially subjected to a 12-h light:12-h dark regime (12L:12D; L = 20 lux, D = 0.5 lux). After every 2 wks, the combinations of light illumination in L and D phases were changed as follows: 20:2 lux, 20:5 lux, 20:10 lux, 20:20 lux, 20:100 lux, and 20:200 lux. Finally, birds were released into dim constant light (0.5 lux) for 2 wks to determine the phase and period of the circadian activity rhythm. They were also laparotomized at periodic intervals to examine the effects of the light regimes on the seasonal testicular cycle. All individuals showed a consistently similar response. As evident by the activity pattern under these light regimes, both in total activity during contrasting light phases and during the 2 h in the beginning and end of first light phase, birds interpreted the period of higher light intensity as day, and the period of lower intensity as the night. During the period of similar light intensity, i.e., under LL, birds free-ran with a circadian period (∼24 h). In bright LL (20 lux), the activity rhythm was less distinct, but periodogram analysis revealed the circadian period for the group as 24.46 ± 0.41 h (mean ± SE). However, in dim LL at the end of the experiment, all birds exhibited a circadian pattern with average period of 25.52 ± 0.70 h. All birds also showed testicular growth and regression during the 16-wks study. It is suggested that weaver birds interpret day and night subjectively based on both the light intensity and contrast between illuminations during two phases over the 24 h. (Author correspondence: [email protected])

Keywords:

• Circadian rhythm
• Indian weaver bird
• Light intensity
• Locomotor activity
• Zeitgeber time

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We acknowledge comments from three anonymous reviewers, which have greatly improved the manuscript. We thank Department of Science and Technology, New Delhi, India for generous funding (SR/SO/AS-36/2006) to the corresponding author. The experiments reported conform to Indian laws.

Declaration of Interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.