Acute stress triggers peripheral vasoconstriction, causing a rapid, short-term drop in skin temperature in homeotherms. We tested, for the first time, whether this response has the potential to quantify stress, by exhibiting proportionality with stressor intensity. We used established behavioural and hormonal markers: activity level and corticosterone level, to validate a mild and more severe f...

1. The osmotic ratio between ' urine' (the supernatant of the ureteral part of the droppings) and plasma has been determined in a number of dehydrated West Australian birds. 2. The U/P ratio was 1-4 in the Emu, 1*7 in two Columbidae (Senegal Turtle Dove and Crested Pigeon), 2-4 in two Meliphagidae (Singing Honeyeater and Red Wattle Bird), 2-6 in three Psittacidae(Bourke Parrot, 28-Parrot, and G...