Captive Tawny Frogmouths Exhibit Similar Body Temperature Patterns as Wild Individuals

Free-ranging tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides) typically defend body temperature (T-b) between 38 and 40 degrees C during activity and allow it to fall to 29 degrees C during cold evenings. However, this pattern of nightly T-b decline has not been elicited in captivity during short-term respirometry measurements. We used implanted T-b loggers to record the T-b of two captive tawny frogmouths from 24 September to 24 December 2019 to determine if the conditions in captivity would elicit similar T-b patterns to those measured in the wild. We recorded an average T-b of 34.8 +/- 1.1 and 35.6 +/- 1.0 degrees C for the two birds and minimum T-b of 31.0 and 32.0 degrees C. Minimum daily T-b was correlated between the two individuals, and the minimum T-b of both individuals was correlated with minimum daily T-a. Our results highlight the need to keep birds under appropriate captive conditions to perform physiological research that produces results which mirror responses by individuals in the wild.

Automated summary

Free-ranging tawny frogmouths typically exhibit a pattern of maintaining higher body temperature during activity and allowing it to decrease during cold evenings, but this pattern is not observed in captive conditions.