THE INFLUENCE OF MOLTING ON BLOOD PARAMET ERS IN THE STARLING STURNUS-VULGARIS

Moulting Starlings (n=9) show increased plasma values of glucose: 314, 2+/-24,96 mg/dl; the corresponding values were 277,5+/-28,8 for non-mo ulting birds (mean value over all periods: 295,6+/-32,2 mg/dl). In all other blood values (e.g. blood cells, hemoglobin, protein-concentrati on, osmotic pressure, hematocrit) no significant differences between m oulting and non-moulting birds could be observed (PRINZINGER & HAKIMI 1996); e.g. plasma-cholesterin was 195,6+/-22,6 mg/dl (moulting) and 1 97,5+/-43,8 (non-moulting), respectively.