Infrared thermography as a measurement tool for non-invasive stress assessment in canaries

Authors

  • Antonio Cannuli University of Messina
  • Antonino Costa Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
  • Salvatore De Caro Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
  • Francesco Fazio Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
  • Vincenzo Parrino Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy
  • Antonino Quattrocchi Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
  • Roberto Montanini Department of Engineering, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21014/actaimeko.v15i3.2330

Keywords:

infrared thermography, thermal imaging, measurement challenges, monitoring biological parameters, non-invasive stress assessment, Serinus Canaria, animal welfare monitoring

Abstract

Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-contact and thermal imaging technique increasingly applied in engineering, biomedical, and veterinary sciences. By detecting infrared radiation emitted from living organisms, IRT enables real-time mapping of surface temperature distributions, offering physiological insights often inaccessible to conventional diagnostic methods. Unlike other imaging modalities that rely on electromagnetic radiation to visualize internal structures, IRT provides dynamic thermal sequences and continuous monitoring of physiological processes without discomfort for the subject. This study explores the application of IRT in canaries (Serinus Canaria), to quantitatively evaluate acute stress responses through surface thermal variations in different anatomical regions. Thermal images were acquired before and after handling, and three regions of interest (ROIs), namely the beak, the periocular area, and the body surface, were analyzed. The hypothesis was that handling-induced stress would produce measurable and region-specific peripheral temperature changes. Using a high-sensitivity thermal camera under controlled environmental conditions, temperature values were recorded before and after standardized gentle manipulation. Paired statistical analysis revealed significant post-handling temperature increases, with the highest relative variation observed in the beak region (3.52 %), followed by the body surface (2.99 %), and the periocular region (1.02 %). A one-way ANOVA performed on post-stress temperatures demonstrated a significant effect of region of interest (F (2,57) = 16.84, p < 0.001), with a large effect size (η² = 0.37). Post-hoc Tukey analysis confirmed that the beak exhibited significantly higher temperatures compared to both the body and the periocular regions. These findings demonstrate that IRT provides statistically robust and region-dependent thermal markers for acute handling stress. Beyond biological implications, this work emphasizes the importance of ROI selection, measurement repeatability, and quantitative statistical validation, positioning IRT as a rigorous and non-invasive measurement technique for stress assessment in small avian species.

Downloads

Published

2026-09-16

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 3 (2026)

Section

Research Papers

License

Copyright (c) 2026 Antonio Cannuli, Antonino Costa, Salvatore De Caro, Francesco Fazio, Vincenzo Parrino, Antonino Quattrocchi, Roberto Montanini

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under the CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Users are free to

  • share, i.e. copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially;
  • adapt, i.e. remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.

At the same time, the user must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made.
Additional information about the license can be found at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

Authors are

  • able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
  • permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work (See The Effect of Open Access).