Continued Advancement in Understanding of Corticosterone in Psittacines

Understanding physiology and the manner in which psittacine and other avian species cope with stress, as well as the physiological and psychological effects of acute and chronic stress on their body, is critical in learning how to best care for and manage these populations, both in captivity and in the wild. The way birds respond to and cope with both acute and chronic stress plays an important role in several physiological and metabolic functions, including homeostasis, glucose mobilization, activation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system, and the fear response. Corticosterone is a glucocorticoid that regulates secretion along the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and mediates neurotransmission and humoral regulation. There are different methods used in measuring corticosterone concentrations in birds. It is necessary for the reader to understand these methods when assessing the results and conclusions in a published study. Along with understanding the samples to be submitted and the time periods they represent, it is also important to consider what factors have been identified to cause variation in corticosterone concentrations. Many of the avian research studies involving corticosterone have looked at measurements related to how real or perceived stressors affect the overall condition of the bird. The overall condition of the bird may be evaluated as feather quality, immune status, quality of life, metabolic and reproductive activity, and/or response to a typical veterinary clinical setting.