Strong circumstantial evidence for ethanol toxicosis in Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Kinde, Hailu; Foate, Eileen; Beeler, Emily; Uzal, Francisco A.; Moore, Janet; Poppenga, Robert H.

doi:10.1007/s10336-012-0858-7

Cited by 15 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 12 publications

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“…Interestingly, only three species were recorded consuming alcohol in both the scientific literature and video data sources, and all three (cedar and Bohemian waxwings, and European starling) are classical subjects for the study of the effects of alcohol on birds. These studies combined both experimental and observational data [8,10,24] and even necropsy examination after collision of drunken birds with solid objects, such as picture windows, plexiglass or fences [25]. Enlarging the list of bird species that consume alcohol was possible due to the use of both classical scientific data and also the more numerous information available from YouTube and other video sources.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds Drinking Alcohol: Species and Relationship with People. A Review of Information from Scientific Literature and Social Media

Tryjanowski

Hetman

Czechowski

et al. 2020

Animals

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Simple Summary: Alcohol consumption is quite common in the bird world. Using scientific literature and Internet resources (available because of the rising popularity of social media), we investigate which species and sources of ethanol are most frequently used by captive and wild birds. Moreover, it was possible with the internet videos to discriminate between intentional and unintentional ingestion. This information may be helpful in choosing appropriate species for future laboratory studies about ethanol metabolism in birds and their behaviour.Abstract: Ethanol is a natural by-product of the fermentation process of fruit sugars and is occasionally consumed by fruit-eating and tree sap drinking birds. Information on this form of alcohol consumption features in the scientific literature. However, as pets or as wild animals living close to humans in urban habitats, birds have increasing possibilities to consume alcohol from beverages, such as beer, wine or spirits. Some observations have been discussed in a light-hearted manner in mass media and social media, but without any generalization of why some bird species drink the beverages intentionally or unintentionally provided by humans. To check which species and in what circumstances birds drink alcohol and how this is evaluated by humans, we reviewed the scientific literature and analysed videos from YouTube. In total we found and analysed 8 scientific papers and 179 YouTube videos, from which we identified at least 55 species (in some cases not all birds were identified to species level), 11 in the scientific literature and 47 in videos. The distribution of these species over the avian phylogenetic tree suggests that the origin of this convergent behaviour is mainly by human influence. The two data sources differed in the species covered. Videos typically presented interactions of birds with human-provided alcoholic beverages, and were dominated by two groups of intelligent birds: parrots and corvids. The popularity of YouTube videos for a particular species was positively correlated with the general popularity of the species as measured by the number of hits (results listed) on Google. Human responses to the videos were generally very positive and we analysed how the responses were influenced by factors derived from viewing the videos. Moreover, YouTube videos also provide information on at least 47 new bird species not previously mentioned as using alcohol, and our results suggest that parrots in particular can be potentially good candidates for future restricted laboratory studies on the effect of ethanol on birds and their relationship with humans.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds Drinking Alcohol: Species and Relationship with People. A Review of Information from Scientific Literature and Social Media

Tryjanowski

Hetman

Czechowski

et al. 2020

Animals

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“…For clarity, we only provide example citations in the figure rather than an exhaustive list of all sources relevant to a given interaction. Figure citations: (1) Wilson et al (2021), (2) Dolan et al (2011), (3) Gauthreaux and Belser 2006, (4) Kinde et al (2012), (5) (Quinn et al (2006), (6) DeCandido and Allen (2006), (7) Rebolo-Ifrán et al (2021), (8) Newton (2007), (9) Mineau and Tucker (2002), (10) La Sorte et al (2022), (11) Russell (2005), (12) Shimeta et al (2016), (13) Bautista (2007), (14) Galindo et al (1985), (15) Doherty et al (2022), (16) Vyas et al (2009), (17) Robinson et al (2009), (18) Bateman et al (2016), (19) Martinuzzi et al (2016), (20) Gallinat et al (2020), (21) Blois et al (2013), (22) Hellmann et al (2008), (23) Hilton et al (1999), (24) Loss et al (2020), (25) Bateman et al (2020).…”

Section: Interacting Threatsmentioning

confidence: 99%

More than mortality: Consequences of human activity on migrating birds extend beyond direct mortality

Nemes

Cabrera‐Cruz

Anderson

et al. 2023

Ornithological Applications

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Birds must contend with an array of anthropogenic threats during their migratory journeys. Many migrants are killed due to encounters with artificial light, introduced species, pollutants, and other anthropogenic hazards, while survivors of these encounters can suffer longer-lasting negative effects. The nonlethal effects of anthropogenic threats on migrating birds are less well understood than direct mortality, yet both potentially contribute to population declines. For example, building collisions frequently kill migrating birds, but the numbers of migrants that survive with an impaired ability to fly, refuel, or navigate to their destination on time is not well understood. Though not immediately fatal, such injuries can lead to delayed mortality and, ultimately, reduced lifetime reproductive success. Furthermore, migrants are likely to encounter multiple threats on their journeys, which can interact synergistically to further reduce fitness. For instance, light pollution attracts and disorients migrants, increasing the likelihood of window strikes, and surviving birds may be more vulnerable to predation from introduced predators. While considerable attention has focused on the lethal effects of anthropogenic threats, here, we review nonlethal effects of 8 types of threats during migration, their interactions, and the pathways through which they can exert fitness costs. In doing so, we identify knowledge gaps and suggest areas for future research. In the absence of more information, we propose that the greatest reduction in the cumulative lethal and nonlethal impacts of anthropogenic hazards will be achieved by addressing threat types, like artificial light at night, that interact with and compound the impact of additional threats. Direct mortality from anthropogenic sources is recognized as a key driver of population declines, but a full understanding of the impacts of human activity on migrating birds must include the cumulative and interacting effects that extend beyond immediate mortality en route to influence overall migration success and lifetime fitness.

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“…Diverse vertebrates consume food items containing low-concentration ethanol. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25] Ethanol acts as a feeding stimulant.…”

Section: Supporting Evidence Referencesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, behavioral preferences by fruit flies for ethanol-containing substrates are correlated with the ability to metabolize ethanol, suggesting a direct link between metabolic capacity and sensory attraction [ 39 ]. Similarly, ethanol is not aversive to fruit-feeding birds and bats [ 22 , 23 ] and is sometimes consumed at lethal levels [ 24 , 25 ]. In rodents, ethanol evokes neural hyperactivity in brain-feeding circuits, further supporting evolutionary associations between consumption of fermented substrates and caloric gain [ 40 ].…”

Section: Vertebrate Responses To Naturally Occurring Ethanolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Evolution and Dietary Ethanol

Dudley

Maro

2021

Nutrients

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The “drunken monkey” hypothesis posits that attraction to ethanol derives from an evolutionary linkage among the sugars of ripe fruit, associated alcoholic fermentation by yeast, and ensuing consumption by human ancestors. First proposed in 2000, this concept has received increasing attention from the fields of animal sensory biology, primate foraging behavior, and molecular evolution. We undertook a review of English language citations subsequent to publication of the original paper and assessed research trends and future directions relative to natural dietary ethanol exposure in primates and other animals. Two major empirical themes emerge: attraction to and consumption of fermenting fruits (and nectar) by numerous vertebrates and invertebrates (e.g., Drosophila flies), and genomic evidence for natural selection consistent with sustained exposure to dietary ethanol in diverse taxa (including hominids and the genus Homo) over tens of millions of years. We also describe our current field studies in Uganda of ethanol content within fruits consumed by free-ranging chimpanzees, which suggest chronic low-level exposure to this psychoactive molecule in our closest living relatives.

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Strong circumstantial evidence for ethanol toxicosis in Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Cited by 15 publications

References 12 publications

Birds Drinking Alcohol: Species and Relationship with People. A Review of Information from Scientific Literature and Social Media

Birds Drinking Alcohol: Species and Relationship with People. A Review of Information from Scientific Literature and Social Media

More than mortality: Consequences of human activity on migrating birds extend beyond direct mortality

Human Evolution and Dietary Ethanol

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