Abstracts

Presented by Elizabeth Schell - Email: elizabeth.r.schell@miami.edu

Results for several hematological characteristics are presented for ten species of diving ducks (n=81) and three species of dabbling ducks (n=16). Samples were collected in March 2019 from Kodiak, Alaska, and in May 2019 from around Fairbanks, Alaska. Birds were lethally collected and blood was collected via heart puncture. Hemoglobin concentration ([Hb]) and packed cell volume (PCV) were analyzed immediately. Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) was calculated using the collected values. Hematology values did not vary significantly between the sexes. [Hb] was significantly higher in divers versus non-divers (Students t-test, p<0.01). There was also a significant difference overall between species (ANOVA, p<0.01), and Tukeys HSD showed significant differences between two species pairs: both Long-tailed Ducks and Common Goldeneye had significantly higher [Hb] than American Wigeon (p=0.0093, p=0.0207). There were no significant differences between divers and non-divers or between species in PCV or MCHC. These results indicate that overall, diving ducks have a higher carrying capacity for oxygen in the blood through an increase in hemoglobin concentration. This could represent an adaptation in these species to facilitate transport of oxygen to the muscles under the hypoxic conditions they are subjected to while diving.