Abstract:In order to explain the daily cyclic variation of metabolism and thermoregulation in the Silky Starling (Sturnus sericeus), the 24 hours continuous changes of body temperature (Tb), body mass (Mb) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) in silky starling were measured. Tb was determined by a digital thermometer (Beijing Normal University Instruments Co., model TH-212) inserting to cloaca, Mb was measured by an electronic scale (Mettler-Toledo, model PL3001-S) to the nearest 0.1 g, and BMR was measured by an open oxygen analyzer (AEI, model S-3A/I) temperature controlled at 25±0.5℃, respectively. The results showed that daily variation of Tb, Mb and BMR was great significantly. Both of Tb and Mb were significantly lower and varied greatly in night time than those in day time. The lowest Tb was 40.4±0.1℃ at 5 o’clock. The value of Mb showed a obvious linear variation with time during 20:00-6:00, and the relationship of Mb in female was Mb=83.46 (±0.12)-0.41 (±0.02) t (R2=0.992, P<0.01) and in male was Mb=76.74 (±0.15)-0.39 (±0.02) t (R2=0.986, P<0.01), respectively. The lowest BMR was (1.96±0.06) ml/(g·h) at 4 o’clock. In summary, silky starling could adjust their daily cyclic variation by decrease Tb, Mb and BMR at night. This inner physiological energetic regulation mechanism improved their acclimatization to the diurnal environment variation.