| Autor: |
R. D. Thompson, Brad E. Johns |
| Rok vydání: |
1989 |
| Předmět: |
|
| Zdroj: |
Pesticide Biochemistry and Physiology. 34:143-148 |
| ISSN: |
0048-3575 |
| DOI: |
10.1016/0048-3575(89)90152-1 |
| Popis: |
We studied the feasibility of improving the efficacy of fright-producing auditory stimuli as wild bird repellents by chemically antagonizing habituation to the stimulus. Red-winged blackbirds ( Agelaius phoeniceus ) were fed mealworms containing a 10 mg/kg dose of d -amphetamine sulfate and exposed to a prerecorded blackbird distress call. Heart rate (HR) and behavioral activity responses (BAR) of these birds were measured and compared to the responses of untreated birds. After an initial strong response, the HR and BAR of control birds diminished despite repeated applications of the distress call until, after 30 applications, they were near the baseline values. The HR and BAR of birds treated with d -amphetamine sulfate remained at elevated levels throughout. The treated birds' responses demonstrated that d -amphetamine sulfate was effective as an habituation antagonist. The results suggest that a nonlethal level of a central nervous system stimulant could be used to antagonize habituation of wild birds to auditory repellents, thereby enhancing their effectiveness in control programs. |
| Databáze: |
OpenAIRE |
| Externí odkaz: |
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