Flight Muscle Architecture and Fiber Type Composition in Quail and Pigeon: A Morphological Anatomical and Immunohistochemical Study.

Avian flight muscle fiber composition reflects species-specific flight strategies, informing rehabilitation and clinical assessment of birds.

This comparative morphological study evaluated the flight muscle architecture and fiber type composition of three major flight muscles—m. pectoralis, m. supracoracoideus, and m. latissimus dorsi—in quails (Coturnix coturnix) and pigeons (Columba livia), using six adult individuals per species. Macroscopic dissection documented topographical differences, with the m. pectoralis and m. supracoracoideus appearing more prominent in pigeons. Histometric analysis using Crossman's trichrome staining revealed that pigeons had significantly higher muscle fiber counts, while quails exhibited significantly larger muscle fiber diameters (p < 0.05). Immunohistochemical fiber typing using the indirect streptavidin-biotin method demonstrated species-specific differences in slow oxidative (SO), fast oxidative-glycolytic (FOG), and fast glycolytic (FG) fiber distributions. In the m. pectoralis, FOG fibers predominated in pigeons, which had significantly fewer FG fibers compared to quails (p < 0.001), consistent with pigeon capacity for sustained flight. Both species showed FOG fiber predominance in the m. supracoracoideus with no significant interspecies difference. The m. latissimus dorsi showed a significantly higher proportion of SO fibers in pigeons (p < 0.05). These findings reflect the differing flight strategies of the two species: pigeons are adapted for sustained, endurance-based flight, while quails rely on short-burst, explosive flight. Understanding avian muscle fiber composition has practical implications for avian veterinary medicine, rehabilitation assessment, nutritional planning, and the interpretation of muscle-related pathology in birds presented in clinical practice.

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