Environment, behavior and physiology: do birds use barometric pressure to predict storms?

Abstract

SUMMARYSevere storms can pose a grave challenge to the temperature and energy homeostasis of small endothermic vertebrates. Storms are accompanied by lower temperatures and wind, increasing metabolic expenditure, and can inhibit foraging, thereby limiting energy intake. To avoid these potential problems, most endotherms have mechanisms for offsetting the energetic risks posed by storms. One possibility is to use cues to predict oncoming storms and to alter physiology and behavior in ways that make survival more likely. Barometric pressure declines predictably before inclement weather, and several lines of evidence indicate that animals alter behavior based on changes in ambient pressure. Here we examined the effects of declining barometric pressure on physiology and behavior in the white-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys. Using field data from a long-term study, we first evaluated the relationship between barometric pressure, storms and stress physiology in free-living white-crowned sparrows. We then manipulated barometric pressure experimentally in the laboratory and determined how it affects activity, food intake, metabolic rates and stress physiology. The field data showed declining barometric pressure in the 12-24h preceding snowstorms, but we found no relationship between barometric pressure and stress physiology. The laboratory study showed that declining barometric pressure stimulated food intake, but had no effect on metabolic rate or stress physiology. These data suggest that white-crowned sparrows can sense and respond to declining barometric pressure, and we propose that such an ability may be common in wild vertebrates, especially small ones for whom individual storms can be life-threatening events. Supplementary material available online at

Ferruginous Hawks Buteo regalis alter parental behaviours in response to approaching storms

“…Barometric pressure begins to decline 12-24 h before severe storms (Breuner et al 2013), and Ferruginous Hawks delivered more nest material during these times of below-average barometric pressure, suggesting that they may sense barometric pressure declines and increase nest maintenance behaviours in anticipation of approaching storms. Considering that barometric pressure changes occur hours before visual cues are likely to have appeared, we suggest that it is unlikely that Ferruginous Hawks are responding to a combination of increasing wind speeds, decreasing temperatures, or visual cues such as darkening of the sky as storms approach.…”

“…Barometric pressure decreases predictably before severe storms, which some birds can sense (Breuner et al 2013;Metcalfe et al 2013) using sensory hair cells of the inner ear. These sensory hairs move in a fluid matrix inside the paratympanic organ in response to small changes in pressure (von Bartheld and Giannessi 2011).…”

“…These sensory hairs move in a fluid matrix inside the paratympanic organ in response to small changes in pressure (von Bartheld and Giannessi 2011). When barometric pressure was experimentally lowered, White-crowned Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys) increased food intake, and White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) increased activity and approached food more quickly (Breuner et al 2013;Metcalfe et al 2013). The ability to sense barometric pressure changes, such as those prior to extreme weather events, could allow birds to respond with behaviours that mitigate the negative effects of these events.…”

Weather Forecasting by Insects: Modified Sexual Behaviour in Response to Atmospheric Pressure Changes

“…However, due to the general small size and fragile nature of insects the heavy rains and strong winds associated with storms are potentially important mortality factors [11]–[12]. Thus, adaptations allowing individuals to detect imminent changes in weather conditions would be beneficial and a limited number of studies have shown that insects [13], like mammals [14], birds [15], reptiles [16] and fish [17], modify different behaviours [18]–[22] in response to the rapid drop in atmospheric pressure (>4 mbars) in the hours preceding a storm [23].…”

Tropical cyclone perceptions, impacts and adaptation in the Southwest Pacific: an urban perspective from Fiji, Vanuatu and Tonga

“…Lefale, 2009;Waiwai and Malsale, 2013;Chand et al, 2014). Examples of weather-related TK include early and more abundant flowering of mango and breadfruit in the harvest season preceding a TC (Whan et al, 2014), the mass movement of birds across a non-native area (Breuner et al, 2013) and changing animal behaviour (Acharya, 2011), indicators that were also mentioned by respondents during the survey. Moller and Berkes (2004) discuss how utilising qualitative TK data and quantitative scientific knowledge (SK) can benefit and improve our knowledge in many ways (summarised in Table 4).…”