Standard metabolic rates of three nectarivorous meliphagid passerine birds

Abstract

Standard metabolic rate (V_O2 STD) was determined for three species of passerine bird from the family Meliphagidae to investigate the possible effect of nectarivory on standard metabolic rate in this family. The three species that we investigated did not show a significant departure from allometric predictions of standard metabolic rate for passerine species. Disparities between standard metabolic rate for meliphagids in the present study and previous data appear to reflect methodological differences, and no general allometric relationship is apparent for meliphagids at present. In meliphagids, nectarivory per se is not an important correlate with standard metabolic rate. Data from additional meliphagid species, collected under standardised conditions, are required to confirm the generality of the findings of the present study, that nectarivorous meliphagids have a standard metabolic rate typical of passerine birds.