2
Effects of dietary restriction on plasma glucose and response to cold stress in Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica).
Dietary restriction extends the maximum lifespan of mice, and the mechanism of action is unclear.  Short-term effects of restriction in mice include lowered plasma glucose and hypothyroidism.  Avian regulation of metabolism differs from that of mammals, and the presence or absence of these effects of restriction in Japanese Quail may indicate the species as useful for studying the mechanism of restriction.   Male quail (ages 11 to 25 mos.) were fed a restricted diet for 5 weeks. The birds were massed and venous blood samples taken weekly in the fed state from a restricted group (5 quail) and an ad libitum group (6 quail).  Plasma glucose was determined.  After 5 weeks of restriction, hypothyroidism was indirectly measured by determination of cloacal temperature before and after a cold stress.  Mass was significantly smaller in restricted birds from week 1 to week 5 of restriction.  Plasma glucose was significantly higher in the restricted group at weeks 1, 3, and 5.  Cloacal temperature change was extremely variable in both groups, so no conclusion can be made concerning thyroid activity.  The rise in plasma glucose with restriction is an effect opposite that recorded in mice, and thus, Japanese Quail may prove a useful species for further investigation into the anti-aging mechanism of dietary restriction.

3
Bird sight and color preference.
Most birds, with exception to a few species, are known for their keen eyesight and color detection. The anatomy of the eye is similar to the anatomy of the mammalian eye except for structures such as the pecten, the shape of the eye, etc. that are unique to birds. This is an interesting field in research because it leads to an increased understanding of color detection and the specialized functions of the avian eye. This experiment was conducted to determine color preference of birds.  To determine this, 50g each of assorted bird food mix was placed into four plates of equal size and shape but of different colors.  The color plates used were blue, green, yellow, and purple.  Seeds of different colors, shapes, and sizes were spread evenly across the various plates. The positioning of the plates were also alternated daily to assure that all plates were examined in all four different positions. The experiment was conducted for four days with the position of the plate changing each day.  The plates were measured daily to determine the grams of food eaten from each plate.  Once again the experiment was repeated in a completely different environment to determine if results were similar. The first part of the experiment was conducted on the Austin College campus and the second part was conducted in the backyard of a home.  Results for both experiments indicated no significant patterns in food preference in accordance to the plate’s color.  It revealed however that the birds ate less each time from the yellow plates than they did from the other colored plates.

4
Observing the use of visual perception versus olfactory perception by the Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) in open field feeding.
The method by which the Black Vulture locates carrion is not clear.  Stager (1964) suggested that the Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) relies on smell while the Black Vulture relies primarily on vision.  The Black Vulture is better adapted to flight through trees because of its smaller size, which suggests that it should be able to locate carrion in an environment with a limited visual range.  In such an environment, olfactory perception would be a suitable means to locate a decaying carcass.  To determine whether olfactory perception plays a role in the location of carrion by the Black Vulture, Japanese Quail carcasses were selectively placed near a known vulture roosting area.  Four groups of four quail were placed in a square pattern 25 m in length on each side.  Two of the piles were hidden from view by grass. Approximately one month after the vultures fed, four new groups were placed in a similar configuration.  Each group of quail was hidden by grass.  In a third experiment, two groups of seven frozen quail were placed 25 m apart.  As the quail thawed, it did not have the smell of carrion.  The Black Vulture fed on the visible decaying quail and the visible frozen quail, which did not smell like carrion.  The vultures did not feed on the hidden quail.  This suggests that the Black Vulture does not primarily rely on smell to locate carrion in open field feeding.  Further study should be done to determine the use of smell by the Black Vulture in an arboreal environment.

5
Communal roosting of vultures at Denison Dam before sunset.
Black Vultures (Coragyps atratus) and Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) roost communally on one electrical line tower on the Oklahoma bank of the Red River at Denison Dam.  Several possibilities exist for why communal roosting occurs in vultures, including avoidance of predation by owls and the local enhancement of foraging by actively promoting the formation of foraging groups, or by passively concentrating the birds in one area (Buckley 1996).   In the last hour before nightfall the vultures begin to fly in to roost for the night. Approximately eleven hours of observations were taken on nine separate occasions in which the time and the number of vultures roosting on the tower were recorded at ten minute intervals.   Statistical analysis of these observations shows a positive correlation between the progression of time and the number of birds roosting on the tower (r=0.854, p<0.05).  These observations reveal that it is statistically significant that more vultures accumulate on the tower as sunset approaches.  Also, although there are several of these towers in the area, the vultures are partial to one particular tower and during my observations at the dam I have never seen them roost anywhere else.  I believe the vultures chose this particular tower for a variety of reasons.  It is one of the highest structures in the area, and it provides an excellent view of the river with plenty of possible roosting sites.  This tower is also the closest to the river, resides farther from the human activities at the dam, and most importantly is surrounded by a wooded habitat which provides more protection and is more conducive to finding carrion. Further research could be done to determine the impetus for vultures to roost at sunset, whether it be internal circadian rhythms, external environmental cues, or a combination of the two.

6
The position of the sun relative to the body and its effects on the foraging success of the Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).
Most birds are able to adapt their foraging behavior to best fit a specific niche or current environment.  Great Blue Herons stalk aquatic prey while wading through shallow water.  Once sighted, the bird quickly strikes at the prey with its sharp bill.  To determine whether the position of the sun relative to the bird's body affects its foraging success, a group of Great Blue Herons who are permanent residents of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge were observed over several weeks.  The position of the sun and wind in relation to the bird were both recorded, as were the number of strikes and catches a bird made.  The number of fishing attempts made while the sun was to the side of the bird greatly outnumbered those made with the sun at the front or the back.  While the wind appears to be virtually insignificant in reference to the birds' foraging success, sunlight striking the bird on the side does indeed appear to be favored and to render greater foraging success in a marsh habitat.  Further investigation is suggested for comparisons between the foraging behaviors and successes of herons in a marsh habitat and those in a river habitat, and the relation of the sun to each.

7
Niche differentiation of Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge.
Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge (HNWR) provides a variety of microhabitats that promote resource differentiation and support the niches of the many migratory birds that visit Texoma each year.  My focus is to identify a couple of these niches by observing the distance from the shore, nearest conspecific, and water depth of foraging shorebirds.  I visited HNWR on three different days and recorded data on Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) and Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias).  I also observed Great Egrets.  But due to the low number of egrets, I made comparisons solely between the dowitchers and herons.  There is no statistically significant difference in the distance from shore at which the two species forage (distd=4.67m ± 7.15, distgbh= 3.94m± 6.81, p>0.05).  There is, however, a statistically significant difference between the water depth (depthd=1.71cm± 1.12, depthgbh=55.2cm± 31.0, p<0.0001) and distance from nearest conspecific (cond=2.93m±4.01, congbh=41.5m±64.8, p<0.005).  Great Blue Herons forage in deeper water, not necessarily further from the shore and are more isolated than the Long-billed Dowitcher.  The mudflats of HNWR do in fact provide at least two distinct niches, based on the water depth preference for each species.  And between these two niches, I suggest that there are a variety of niches with more subtle differences for birds of varying size and ecological needs.

8
Controlling bird populations and lowering bird strikes at Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport.
Bird strikes are incidents when a bird comes into contact with an aircraft. These costly and sometimes deadly collisions are rising in number with the destruction of the habitat of certain birds by humans, increasing number in some bird populations, and the wide open spaces with several microhabitats offered by many major airports.  Several airports have coordinated bird populations control groups in an effort to lower bird populations around airport runways.  I wanted to measure the effectiveness of the bird population control methods used by Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport.  A twenty-meter census circle, where bird control mechanisms took place, was compared to two, twenty-meter census circles (one at the airport and another 0.5 mile north of the airport), where bird control mechanisms did not take place.  Results concluded that in areas where bird controls mechanisms were used there was a 69% decrease in number of species and a 86% decrease in total number of birds compared to an airport site where bird control methods were not used.  In comparison to an area 0.5 mile north of the airport there was a 92% decrease in number of species and a 96% decrease in total number of birds.  Thus, bird control tactics are successful in lowering the total number of species and total number of birds from airport runways.  Further research may involve determining which tactic is the most successful in keeping birds away from airport runways.

9
Effects of human proximity on bird populations in Fairview Park.
Due to massive habitat destruction, many areas throughout the world are designated as bird sanctuaries and wildlife preserves; however, many are also used for parks and ecotourism.  The focus of this study was to determine what effects human proximity might have on the population of birds in an area of Fairview Park in Sherman, Texas.  This was an effort to try and see whether or not making space is enough, or whether the birds should also be free of human intrusion.  A census was taken of the number of human and bird individuals in a given area surrounding a creek in a fifteen-minute interval.  This process was repeated thirteen times.  The resulting correlation of number of individual birds as a function of number of individual humans was -0.6 (p>0.05).  This would indicate that the methods used in this experiment did not show any effects of human proximity on the bird populations in this area.  However, this lack of response may be due to the habituation of the birds to continual human presence, and there was indication that some species were more tolerant than others.  Future studies should include relative changes in species diversity and an effort to account for habituation.

10
Bird populations in prefabricated bird houses in two Sherman, Texas subdivisions.
Citizen scientists play a large role in ornithology by contributing to the tracking of bird species. They also create and support a multi-million dollar industry of man-made and prefabricated birdhouses and bird feeders. Birdhouses are erected in North Central Texas in hopes of gaining inhabitants such as Purple Martins, Northern Cardinals, and/or Blue Jays. Many times, these houses are instead inhabited by unwanted species such as House Sparrows. To determine the actual bird populations in two Sherman subdivisions, birdhouses and their inhabitants were counted. Also, the distance between the birdhouses and their height off the ground were measured. In addition, the lot sizes in both subdivisions were determined. Most of the birdhouses counted were designed and built for Martins. For example, they look like bird "condominiums" and are 3 to 4.6 meters off the ground, which is the recommended height for a Martin house. In Park Haven Subdivision, eighty-three percent of the birdhouses were inhabited by Purple Martins. In Pebblebrook Subdivision, fifty percent of the birdhouses were inhabited by Purple Martins. Approximately twenty-five percent were inhabited by House Sparrows and one house was completely uninhabited.  Only twelve percent of the homeowners cleaned out the birdhouses after each batch of birds.  There was not a positive correlation between cleaning out the houses and subsequent bird inhabitation.

11
Impact of human constructed resources on avian habitat utilization.
The habitat of birds initially included only natural structures such as trees before their replacement with constructed structures such as buildings by the arrival of humans. With the replacement of natural structures birds are required to modify their behavior to include constructed resources. Therefore, it is expected that the implementation of unnaturally occurring structures in the habitat of birds would result in a shift and or limit to specific bird species utilization for specific habitats. To determine if birds were able to adapt to natural resource replacement and the effects of constructed resources on natural habitats, a 20 min. time budget analysis was conducted in a 4 week period for 10 European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris). The natural structures utilized by the starlings were grass, tall trees, short trees, and a bush. Constructed resources used were sidewalks, buildings, telephone poles, telephone wires, and a satellite tower. The majority of European Starlings utilized natural resources most with favor towards constructive resources for perching sites, however there was no statistical significance presented for natural or constructed structure preference.

12
Time budget of an unmated male Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos).
Time budgets determine how much time an organism devotes to particular activities.  I performed a time budget on an unmated male Northern Mockingbird during breeding season to determine how much time it devoted to attracting a mate, territorial behaviors, and other behaviors.  I recorded the time one unmated male Northern Mockingbird spent doing specific behaviors during four different times of the day over a ten-day period.  All behaviors were grouped into three categories: mate attraction behaviors, territorial behaviors, and self-devoted behaviors.  The different time slots allowed me to compare and contrast the similarities or differences in time devoted to each behavior during different times of the day.  The time of day was a significant factor in amount of time devoted to mate attraction behaviors (p<0.005) and self-devoted behaviors (p<0.005).  The time of day was not a significant factor in amount of time devoted to territorial behaviors (p>0.05).  The mockingbird spent 91% of its time at mate attraction behaviors during the morning time slot.  This time decreased to 66% for both afternoon time slots.  Mate attraction behaviors were much decreased in the evening time slot (23%).  The mockingbird never dedicated large amounts of time to territoriality.  Overall, territorial behavior comprised 3% of its time.  The mockingbird spent 7% of its time at self-devoted behaviors in the morning time slot.  It spent 31% and 33% of its time at self-devoted behaviors in the two respective afternoon time slots.  And, it spent 70% of its time at self-devoted behaviors in the evening.  These results suggest that mate attraction behaviors are most important and perhaps more evolutionarily successful in the morning, slightly less so in the afternoon, and minimally important in the evening.  Territorial behaviors were important for maintaining territorial boundaries, but less time consuming because the territories had already been well established at the time this time budget was conducted.  There appears to be strong selection to do most self-devoted behaviors in the evening, allowing less in the afternoon, and hardly any in the morning.

13
Affects of chicken feed and game bird feed on the growth of Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus).
The purpose of this experiment was to test which feed (game bird vs. chicken feed) benefits the growth rate of Northern Bobwhite.  Game bird feed is more expensive than chicken feed, so this experiment would aid those who raise bobwhite in making a feed choice.  The bobwhite chicks in this study were feed ad libidum throughout the study in one large brooder with a wall that separated the two groups.  Both groups had an identical environment with the same temperature, humidity, light, etc.  Each individual's growth was determined by weight only.  The student t-test indicated that there was not a significant statistical difference between the chicken feed chicks (group A) and the game bird feed chicks (group B) (p>0.05).  However, group B was far more advanced in size and development  in comparison to group A.  In addition, group B developed its' primary flight feathers, crown, beak, and tail feathers before group A.  It should also be noted that these developments were often 7 to 14 days ahead of group A.

14
The effects of 4-androstene-3,17-dione on behavior and growth of Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica).
A group of ten, one week old Japanese Quail were used in an experiment with 4-androstene-3,17-dione.  Five of the quail were used as a control group, and five were used as the experimental group. The experimental group was injected daily with the andro, the amounts were based on the current weight of each chick. The control group was injected with a mixture of ethanol and water.  The frequencies of thirteen behaviors were measured between one bird of each group in comparison with each other (e.g. andro male v. control male, andro female v. control male, andro group v. control male, etc.).  This was used to determine if the steroid made the quail more active and/or more aggressive towards each other.  Weighing the quail everyday also monitored the growth of the two groups.  This was used to determine whether the steroid had any effect on the growth of the group that was on the steroid compared to that, which was not on the steroid.  Finally the CPAs of the males were measured as an indicator of the testes size and amount of testosterone in the quail's system.  The behaviors of the birds came out to be overall significantly different (p<0.05) whether they were in groups or paired one on one for observation.  The CPAs of the males shows that the CPAs of the experimental group were all identical and the control group varied.  The growth of the quail was also observed to determine whether or not the androstenedione had any effect on the growth of the quail. After comparing growth rates and total change in mass the average change in each group was nearly the same, 96.9g in the andro group and 97.12g in the control group.  Overall the growth was not affected by the introduction of androstenedione, but the hormone levels in the experimental quail as compared to the control were different.  The behavior of the quail was different as well with the suggestion of increased aggression in the males.

15
Feeding preference of local Denison, Texas wild bird populations in a defined area.
The different species of birds that visited and fed in the area with the provided feeders were observed and noted for which feeders they frequented at 907 Seymore Circle.  The feeders were all given the same type of food for the duration of the experiment.  One of the feeders was approximately 4m high and the other feeders where cylindrical and hung about 6m high attached to the eave of the house, and birds were also monitored that ate from the ground as the seed that fell out of the birdhouse while other birds were eating.  Twelve species were seen over the course of the study, and it was seen that the birds barely ever strayed from the feeder where they usually found food.  I observed that there seemed to be a correlation in the size of the birds as to which feeder they preferred, but that could have been due to the construction of the feeder itself.  The birdhouse was frequented more by the medium sized birds, the feeders by the house were visited by the much smaller birds, and many times on the ground would be the much larger birds.