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Effects of carotenoid supplementation on colour expression, oxidative stress and body mass in rehabilitated captive adult kestrels (Falco tinnunculus)

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Abstract

Carotenoids are considered a limited resource for animals because they are not synthesised by the body. Birds use carotenoids, mainly xanthophylls, for physiological functions, such as anti-oxidant activity, and for colour expression; hence, they need to shunt carotenoids between competitive demands. Recent studies suggest that the anti-oxidant role of xanthophylls might not be as important as previously thought and that at high concentrations they may, in fact, acquire pro-oxidant properties. In this work, we studied the effects of a moderate xanthophyll supplementation (115 mg of carotenoids/kg diet/day; 4 weeks) on serum carotenoids, serum concentration of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), serum anti-oxidant capacity (OXY), the degree of oxidative stress (OS; ROMs/OXY × 1,000), body mass, and skin colour, in rehabilitated captive adult Eurasian kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). The supplementation caused increased levels of serum carotenoids (∼90%), ROMs (∼82%), OS (∼115%) and an immediate loss of body mass (∼6.2%), but it did not affect OXY and tarsi skin hue. The red (∼16%) and yellow (∼15%) colorimetric components were increased after the first week of supplementation and the effect persisted during the rest of the experiment. Two months after the end of supplementation, serum carotenoids, OS and ROMs returned to baseline levels, however the body mass did not. Our findings suggest that, above a certain physiological threshold, carotenoids can cause detrimental effects. This is relevant for the trade-off between expression of sexual signals and the costs of maintaining/producing them.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the rehabilitation centres of the Lega Italiana Protezione Uccelli (LIPU) sections of Latina and Roma, Circeo National Park, Forestry Service of Pescara, Bosco San Silvestro (Caserta), Vico Natural Reserve (Caprarola, VT) and WWF Astroni for providing the birds. We thank two anonymous reviewers for valuable comments that improved the manuscript; Stefania Casagrande for valuable comments that improved an earlier draft; Eugenio Sodo from Kemin Food that kindly provided the carotenoids used for the experiment; Nadia Macciocchi, Fernando and Serena Costantini for help with the animal care; the scientific association Ornis italica for supporting this research; Gianfranco Brambilla and Maurizio Fiori for valuable suggestions. David Costantini was supported by a Ph.D. fellowship from the University La Sapienza.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell’Uomo, Università La Sapienza, Viale dell’Università 32, 00185, Rome, Italy

    David Costantini & Alberto Fanfani

  2. Dipartimento di Fisica, P.le A. Moro 2, Università La Sapienza, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Carlo Coluzza

  3. Ornis italica, Piazza Crati 15, 00199, Rome, Italy

    Giacomo Dell’Omo

Authors
  1. David Costantini
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  2. Carlo Coluzza
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  3. Alberto Fanfani
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  4. Giacomo Dell’Omo
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Correspondence to David Costantini.

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Communicated by G. Heldmaier.

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Costantini, D., Coluzza, C., Fanfani, A. et al. Effects of carotenoid supplementation on colour expression, oxidative stress and body mass in rehabilitated captive adult kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). J Comp Physiol B 177, 723–731 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-007-0169-0

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