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FAU researchers studied wild Northern cardinals to explore how everyday challenges affect the gut microbiome, the community of microbes living inside the birds. They found that even brief disruptions, such as short holding periods during routine capture or social interactions with rival males, were associated with measurable changes in the composition of gut microbes. These microbial shifts were closely linked to stress hormone levels, body condition and beak coloration, indicating that changes in the microbiome reflect meaningful shifts in a bird’s health and physiology. Birds that showed the largest microbial changes also tended to have more pronounced changes in beak color and stress responses, highlighting the connection between internal microbial communities and visible signs of condition.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, reveals that gut microbes can provide a sensitive window into how wild animals respond to environmental and social challenges. By tracking microbial changes alongside physiological measures and traits like beak coloration, researchers gained a rare, integrated view of how stress and health interact in free-living birds. The findings suggest that even subtle, everyday challenges can influence an animal’s internal biology, offering new insight into how wild populations maintain resilience and cope with the demands of their environment.

“These microbial changes were not just abstract numbers. They were closely linked to visible signs of health,” said Rindy Anderson, Ph.D., senior author and an associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences within FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “Birds whose gut microbes shifted the most also showed changes in beak color, stress hormone levels, and body condition. Stress doesn’t affect all birds in the same way. Instead, the microbiome may serve as a sensitive indicator of how individual animals are responding to their environment.”

Read the press release.