Unlike American Robins (Turdus migratorius), European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) do not display roost-time restlessness

Mosquito landing rates on nesting American robins (Turdus migratorius).

We measured mosquito landing rates on adult and nestling American robins at nests with infrared cameras in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, United States. Mosquitoes landed on nesting robins almost exclusively between dusk and dawn. The mean number of mosquito landings per night was higher for adults (123.3 +/- SE 32.8) than nestlings (37.26 +/- 14.8). The fraction of mosquitoes landing at a nes...

Embryonic modulation of maternal steroids in European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

In birds, maternally derived yolk steroids are a proposed mechanism by which females can adjust individual offspring phenotype to prevailing conditions. However, when interests of mother and offspring differ, parent-offspring conflict will arise and embryonic interests, not those of the mother, should drive offspring response to maternal steroids in eggs. Because of this potential conflict, we ...

DNA vaccination of American robins (Turdus migratorius) against West Nile virus.

West Nile virus (WNV) has caused at least 1150 cases of encephalitis, 100 deaths, and an estimated 30,000-80,000 illnesses in 6 of the last 7 years. Recent evidence from several regions has implicated American robins (Turdus migratorius) as an important host for feeding by Culex mosquitoes, and, when integrated with their host competence for WNV, demonstrates that they are a key WNV amplificati...

Mosquito Landing Rates on Nesting American Robins (<i>Turdus migratorius</i>)

Shape from shading in starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

Birds behave as if they quickly and accurately perceive an object-filled visual world. Beyond the extensive research with pigeons, however, there is a large and important gap in our knowledge about the mechanisms of object perception and recognition in other avian visual systems. The pattern of shading reflected from the surfaces of objects is one important optical feature that provides fundame...