Interactions of body temperature and nutritional status on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis activity in pre-thermoregulatory eastern bluebird chicks (Sialia sialis)

Early life experiences can affect the function of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis of vertebrates, with potential fitness consequences later in life. In altricial species, for example, variation in parental behavior, e.g. brooding or feeding, can modify the activity of the HPA axis of the young by altering their exposure to noxious stimuli as the young develop in the nest. We have shown that a drop in the body temperature of eastern...