Migratory birds are physiologically specialized to accumulate massive fat stores (up to 50–
60% of body mass), and to transport and oxidize fatty acids at very high rates to sustain flight …

While corticosterone (CORT) is often suggested to be an important hormone regulating
processes necessary for avian migration, there has been no systematic assessment of …

In both captive and free-living birds, the emergence of the migratory phenotype is signalled
by rapid and marked increases in food intake and fuelling, as well as changes in amount of …

Bird migration entails replenishing fuel stores at stopover sites. There, individuals make
daily decisions whether to resume migration, and must also decide their time of departure …

Early arrival at the breeding site positively affects the breeding success of migratory birds.
During migration, birds spend most of their time at stopovers. Therefore, determining which …

Animals usually show distinct periods of diel activity and non-activity. Circulating baseline
levels of glucocorticoid hormones (corticosterone and cortisol) often peak just before or at …

The decision made by migrating birds to stop refueling and to depart from stopover depends
on cues from innate rhythms, intrinsic factors such as fuel reserves, and extrinsic factors …

All aerobic organisms are to some degree affected by oxidative stress, which is an
imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants in favor of the former. Pro-oxidants can …

Elevated baseline corticosterone levels function to mobilize energy in predictable life-history
stages, such as bird migration. At the same time, baseline corticosterone has a permissive …

Corticosterone at baseline levels is thought to be mainly involved in the regulation of uptake,
storage and release of energy, processes central to avian migration. Consequently …