Direct and circadian control of sparrow behavior by light and dark

Abstract

House sparrows, Passer domesticus, have perch-hopping activity (1) which was elicited by light (direct), and (2) which exhibited daily rhythms that were entrained by environmental light-dark cycles (circadian). When photoperiod was more than 14 hr, the sparrows' activity coincided with the light; when it was less than 14 hr, the birds were also active in the dark according to circadian predictions. Bimodality was dependent on photoperiod with the maximum incidence (75%) in LD16:8. Sparrows placed in LD1:11 (skeleton of 13:11) synchronized the onsets of their activity with the light beginning 8–18 hr after the time of the last L/D irrespective of when the birds experienced the first 1 hr light. Thirty-five percent of the sparrows advanced when they entrained to LD1:11 with the first pulse 8 hr after the last L/D; 76–87% of the sparrows delayed when they entrained to LD1:11 with the first pulse 2, 5 or 18 after the last L/D. Sparrows kept in exotic light-dark cycles (with periods of 10 min, 1.5 hr, 3.0 hr, 6.0 hr, 12 hr) were active in the light. Some birds displayed circadian rhythms superimposed on short period patterns. The period lengths of the circadian rhythms were shorter (22.8 hr) than in constant dark (24.2 hr). When sparrows subjected to LD1.5:1.5 or 36 hr of constant light were placed in constant dark, the phase of their activity onsets extrapolated to 15 hr after the last lights-off.