title: Blood parameters as consistent predictors of nestling performance in great tits (Parus major) in the wild.
abstract: Fourteen blood profile variables were analysed in 12-day-old nestlings of great tits (Parus major) in the wild. Except for plateletocrit and platelet distribution width, the traits showed a consistent pattern of variation, with significant intra-brood repeatabilities; they were shown to be significant predictors of nestling performance as measured by survival from hatching to fledging. It is concluded that all blood characteristics that show consistent within-brood variation may be useful as indicators of some aspects of nestling condition/health status in wild birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Zoology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Łódź, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Łódź, Poland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Nadolski
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skwarska
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaliński
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bańbura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sniegula
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bańbura
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004909:Erythrocyte Indices; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008954:Models, Biological; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D046109:Passeriformes / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*