Abstract
Activities of migratory caged Reed Bunting, Emberiza schoeniclus in both light and darkness exposed to three different artificial temperature have been measured during the periods from March through December in 1975.
Each bird was confined in a bamboo cage equipped with a microswitch on one side of the purching bar, for counting the activities of the bird in the cage. Our 15 birds were assigned to three chanbers whose temperature was maintained at 23°C, 15°C, and 8°C, respectively. The body weight of experimental groups exposed to 23°C, 15°C and 8°C increased in the spring migratory period; and the body weight of the group in the temperature in 23°C decreased in all other seasons, whereas, the body weight of the groups in 15°C and 8°C increased slightly in the fall migratory season.
Activities in the dark period, or Zugunruhe exposed to 23°C increased both in the spring and fall migratory periods, and the group in 15°C increased Zugunruhe only in spring period, whereas, the group exposed to 8°C showed no Zugunruhe in either spring or fall season.
It can be said that the favorable temperature such as 23°C induced the onset of Zugunruhe in both spring and fall, and 15°C induced Zugunruhe only in spring; whereas low temperature such as 8°C inhibited the onset of Zugunruhe in both spring and fall seasons.
