Abstract—A study was made to investigate the dynamics of the replacement of primary flight feathers in several passerine bird species in natural and laboratory conditions. Birds were kept at different photoperiods or early postbreeding molting was induced in winter by moving birds to a chamber with a 15-h photoperiod, which is efficient for gonadal development. Observations of birds were performed over 5 years for all photoperiods under study; a biorhythm with an approximately 3-day period was detected for the beginning of new flight feather development during molting in passerine birds. A time interval that was a multiple of approximately 3 days was observed between the replacements of adjacent primary flight features under various light–dark schedules (hours): 20 light (L) : 4 dark (D), 17L : 7D, 14L : 10D, and 12L : 12D. The phases of the 3-day biorhythm were compared with the dynamics of external atmospheric and heliogeophysical processes, and the most significant relationship was observed with extremes of changes in the speed of the Earth’s rotation around its axis. The external factors that are influenced by extremes of changes in the Earth’s rotational speed were assumed to act as synchronizers of the biorhythm.
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This work was supported by a state contract with the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution (project no. AAAA-A18-118042690110-1).
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Abbreviations: IMF, interplanetary magnetic field.
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Diatroptov, M.E., Panchelyuga, V.A. & Stankevich, A.A. The Dynamics of the Replacement of Primary Flight Feathers in Passerine Birds and Possible Synchronization Factors. BIOPHYSICS 65, 131–142 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006350920010042
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006350920010042