UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA’S EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS
TITLE OF RESEARCH: Neurosteroids and Stress Physiology in Adult Songbirds, Published April 2009

UBC RESEARCHER(S): Amy Elida Margaret Newman, thesis for Doctorate of Philosophy in Faculty of Graduate Studies (Neuroscience) at UBC

ANIMALS USED IN EXPERIMENT: Song sparrows from Vancouver (nonbreeding condition), and Guelph, Ontario, wild nestling European Starlings, captive nestling Zebra finches.

FUNDING SOURCE: Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council; Canadian graduate scholarship; Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research Junior Trainee Award

DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIMENT:
(Chapter #3:) 107 wild sparrows captured “near Vancouver”in 2005 with mistnets and recorded calls, measured, blood drawn, banded and released. Conclusion p. 57.
“Subjects were caught using mist-nets and less than 5 min of conspecific song playback (mean ±SEM: 2.78 ± 0.02 min). A baseline blood sample (~150 μl) was collected within 3 min of capture (mean ± SEM: 2.2 ± 0.05 min) from the brachial or jugular vein (see below). Then, subjects were restrained in an opaque cloth bag for 30 or 60 min. After restraint, another blood sample (~150 μl) was collected (from the same vein as at baseline). Importantly, separate individuals were bled after 30 min restraint and 60 min in 2 of 4 seasons (breeding and early nonbreeding seasons)”
(Chapter #4:) 46 wild sparrows captured in 2006 “near Vancouver.” Blood taken. Some birds decapitated in 3 minutes. Others kept in opaque bag for 30 minutes, then “sacrificed” after second blood test. Brains dissected. Conclusion p. 85.

“Subjects were captured using conspecific playback (3.50 ± 0.53 min) and mist nets. A baselineblood sample (~150 μL) was collected within 3 min of capture (2.05 ± 0.07 min) from the jugular vein with a heparinized syringe (Newman et al., 2008a). Subjects were sacrificed by rapid decapitation within 3 min of capture (2.60 ± 0.16 min) or restrained for 30 min in a cloth bag. After restraint, another blood sample was collected from the jugular vein, and subjects were sacrificed (32.71 ± 0.23 min after capture).”
(Chapter #5:) Study also includes similar work done near University of Western Ontario, where 36 wild sparrows were kept captive in a lab (individual cages, 4 rooms, 9 cages per room) for 30 days and had corticosteroid silastic implants or empty silastic implants placed subcutaneously on back. After 30 days, birds were decapitated and brains dissected. Conclusion p. 116.

“Three days prior to implantation (day -3), a baseline blood sample (~50μL) was collected from the brachial vein within 3 min of entering the room. Baseline blood samples were also collected on days 2, 3, 4 and 5 (~25μL on each day). On days 8 and 22, a baseline blood sample (~50μL) was collected, and another blood sample (~50μL) was collected after 30 min of restraint (as in Experiment 1). On day 29, a final baseline blood sample was collected. Blood was kept on ice until centrifuged, and plasma was stored at -20°C. After blood collection on day 29, individuals were sacrificed by rapid decapitation (within 3 min of disturbance), and the brain was rapidly dissected, frozen on dry ice, and stored at -80°C.”