The Internal Food Reserves of Hatching Mallard Ducklings

Kear, Janet

doi:10.2307/3798051

Cited by 48 publications

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“…Their mean weight (27 g) was considerably lower than the 35 g hatching weight reported by Kear (1965) and Smart (1965). We attribute the difference to the use of internal food reserves and dehydration that occurred during transit (Kear 1965;Marcstrom 1966). However, the ducks gained rapidly during their 1st week, and the effect of dehydration on subsequent growth is considered negligible.…”

Section: Growthcontrasting

confidence: 63%

Growth and energy consumption by captive mallards

Sugden¹,

Driver²,

Kingsley³

1981

Can. J. Zool.

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Weight change of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) reared in indoor cages was described by a modification of Richards's growth function that was compared with Gompertz and logistic growth equations. Growth of both sexes approximated the Gompertz curve. Maximum growth rate occurred at 2.5 weeks. Intake of metabolized energy increased from a mean of 49 kcal∙bird−1∙day−1 (1 cal = 4.1868 J) in the 1st week to 262 kcal during the 5th week, and then decreased as growth slowed.

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Section: Growthcontrasting

confidence: 63%

Growth and energy consumption by captive mallards

Sugden¹,

Driver²,

Kingsley³

1981

Can. J. Zool.

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“…Marcstrom (1966, have repeatedly stated that mallard ducklings and eggs from Sweden are generally heavier than those from England. But, as shown in Table 4, the egg sizes obtained by Kear (1965) and Marcstrom (1966) from captive ducks are not representative of those obtained from wild mallards in either England or Sweden. Captive mallards, usually given high-protein food ad libitum, begin to lay larger eggs as early as the first generation (Batt and Prince 1979;this study).…”

Section: Egg Sizementioning

confidence: 69%

Egg and clutch size in the mallard as related to food quality

Pehrsson¹

1991

Can. J. Zool.

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PEHRSSON, 0 . 1991. Egg and clutch size in the mallard as related to food quality. Can. J. Zool. 69: 156-162.The effect of food quality on egg and clutch size was studied in captive wild-strain and game-farm mallards, Anas platyrhynchos, and comparisons were made with various wild Swedish populations from different habitat types. Captive mallards laid larger eggs than wild birds. In captivity, game-farm ducks laid larger eggs than wild-strain birds, but when they were exposed to wild conditions the size was reduced. Captive ducks stlpplied with high-protein food laid larger eggs than ducks fed low-protein food. In the wild, there was a negative correlation between egg size and population density. Various wild Swedish populations showed similar egg-size variations among years, indicating some common factor operating outside the breeding season. In the food quality experiments, clutch size was positively correlated with egg size, but no correlation was found in wild populations. A negative correlation between clutch size and laying date, obtained in the wild, was not found in captivity. Egg and clutch sizes were both significantly smaller in a lake with food competition from fish than in an area rich in lakes empty of fish. When comparing egg characteristics of mallard populations it is important to distinguish between wild, captive wild-strain, and captive game-farm birds. PEHRSSON, 0 . 1991. Egg and clutch size in the mallard as related to food quality. Can. J. Zool. 69 : 156-162. L'influence de la qualit6 de la nourriture sur la taille des oeufs et le nombre d'oeufs par couvCe a Ct C CtudiCe chez des Canards colverts, Anasplatyrhynchos, gardCs en captivitC mais provenant de souche sauvage, et des canards d'Clevage; les rCsultats ont Ct C cornpards avec ceux obtenus chez diverses populations sauvages de diffkrents types d'habitats en Sukde. Les canards en captivitC pondaient de plus gros oeufs que les canards sauvages. En captivitk, les canards d'Clevage pondaient des oeufs plus gros que les canards de souche sauvage, mais les oeufs Ctaient plus petits si les canards Ctaient exposCs h des conditions naturelles,Les canards en captivitC noums h un rCgime riche en protCines avaient des oeufs plus gros que les canards nourris h un rCgime pauvre en protCines. En pature, il y avait une corrClation nCgative entre la taille des oeufs et la densit6 de la population. Les m$mes variations de taille des oeufs ont Ct C observCes h differentes annCes chez diverses populations sauvages de Sukde, ce qui indique l'existence d'un facteur commun en opkration entre les saisons de reproduction. Dans les expkriences sur la qualit6 de la nourriture, le nombre d'oeufs par couvCe Ctait en corrklation positive avec la taille des oeufs, mais cette corrClation n'a pas Ct C constatCe chez les populations sauvages. Une corrklation nCgative entre le nombre d'oeufs dans la couvCe et la date de ponte, constatCe chez les populations sauvages, n'a pas Ct C observCe chez les populations en captivitk. Les oeufs se sont avCrCs significativement plus...

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“…parental investment in care), which serves as a post-hatching source of nutrients and energy that can affect survivorship, especially during times of nutritional stress. A number of studies of precocial species (Kear, 1965;Ankney, 1980;Peach and Thomas, 1986;Thomas et al, 1988;Slattery and Alisauskas, 1995;Visser and Ricklefs, 1995;Dawson and Clark, 1996;Nager et al, 2000;Anderson and Alisauskas, 2001) have shown that an increase in residual yolk, correlated with increased egg size, results in increased hatchling survival under limited food conditions.…”

Section: Table·1 Hatchling Organ Masses (G) and Their Regressions Onmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maternal effects of egg size on emuDromaius novaehollandiaeegg composition and hatchling phenotype

Dzialowski

Sotherland

2004

Journal of Experimental Biology

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Parental investment in eggs and, consequently, in offspring can profoundly influence the phenotype, survival and ultimately evolutionary fitness of an organism. Avian eggs are excellent model systems to examine maternal allocation of energy translated through egg size variation. We used the natural range in emu Dromaius novaehollandiae egg size, from 400·g to >700·g, to examine the influence of maternal investment in eggs on the morphology and physiology of hatchlings. Female emus provisioned larger eggs with a greater absolute amount of energy, nutrients and water in the yolk and albumen. Variation in maternal investment was reflected in differences in hatchling size, which increased isometrically with egg size. Egg size also influenced the physiology of developing emu embryos, such that late-term embryonic metabolic rate was positively correlated with egg size and embryos developing in larger eggs consumed more yolk during development. Large eggs produced hatchlings that were both heavier (yolk-free wet and dry mass) and structurally larger (tibiotarsus and culmen lengths) than hatchlings emerging from smaller eggs. As with many other precocial birds, larger hatchlings also contained more water, which was reflected in a greater blood volume. However, blood osmolality, hemoglobin content and hematocrit did not vary with hatchling mass. Emu maternal investment in offspring, measured by egg size and composition, is significantly correlated with the morphology and physiology of hatchlings and, in turn, may influence the success of these organisms during the first days of the juvenile stage.

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The Internal Food Reserves of Hatching Mallard Ducklings

Cited by 48 publications

References 0 publications

Growth and energy consumption by captive mallards

Growth and energy consumption by captive mallards

Egg and clutch size in the mallard as related to food quality

Maternal effects of egg size on emuDromaius novaehollandiaeegg composition and hatchling phenotype

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