Blood flow distribution in submerged and surface-swimming ducks

Observations that the response of the avian heart rate to submergence varies under different circumstances have led to speculation about variability of blood flow distribution during voluntary dives. We used a radiological imaging technique to examine the patterns of circulating blood flow in captive redhead ducks (Aythya americana) during rest, swimming, escape dives, forced dives and trapped escape dives and have shown that blood flow distribution in escape dives was the same as that in ducks swimming at the water surface. The response during trapped escape dives, however, was highly variable. Blood pressure was unchanged from the resting value during all activities. Predictions made about blood flow distribution during unrestrained dives on the basis of heart rate and other indirect data were confirmed in this study. However, the trapped escape dive responses indicated that heart rate alone is not always a reliable indicator of tissue blood flow in exercising ducks.