Gut microbiome dynamics during pre-migratory fattening in a long-distance migratory bird

The objective of our study was two-fold: We aimed to 1) investigate community dynamics of the shorebird gut microbiome during the physiologically stressful period of pre-migration fattening, and 2) identify the validity of our results at different phylogenetic levels. To address these objectives, we sequenced the 16S rRNA genes from fecal samples collected from 91 Ruddy Turnstone throughout the spring migration stopover period in Delaware Bay.