Ornithology最新文献

{"title":"Studying individual-level interactions can transform our understanding of avian mixed-species flocks","authors":"Laura N Vander Meiden, D. Shizuka, Allison E. Johnson","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad007","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad007","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Avian mixed-species flocks are ubiquitous across habitats and a model for studying how heterospecific sociality influences the behavior and composition of animal communities. Here, we review the literature on mixed-species flocks and argue that a renewed focus on individual-level interactions among flock members can transform our understanding of this iconic, avian social system. Specifically, we suggest that an individual perspective will further our understanding of (1) how inter- and intraspecific variation in flock participation links to fitness costs and benefits, (2) the implications of familiarity between individuals in structuring mixed-species flock communities, and (3) how social roles within mixed-species flocks are related to social behavior within and across species. We summarize studies that use an individual perspective in each of these areas and discuss knowledge from conspecific social behavior to posit more broadly how individuals may shape mixed-species flocks. We encourage research approaches that incorporate individual variation in traits, relationships, and social roles in their assessment of mixed-species flocking dynamics. We propose that the analysis of individual variation in behavior will be particularly important for explicitly identifying fitness outcomes that led to the evolution of mixed-species flocks, which in turn affect community structure and resilience. LAY SUMMARY Across the world, many birds form mixed-species flocks that serve as information centers, facilitating foraging, and anti-predation behaviors for multiple species. Such social groups provide a prime example of how sociality can extend beyond species boundaries. Most research on this topic focuses on species-level questions (e.g., how different species fill different roles in the flock) without accounting for the importance of individual-level traits and relationships in mixed-species flocks. We argue that an increased focus on the individuals in mixed-species flocks is needed to understand how flock participation is linked to the evolution of traits and behaviors, how social relationships matter in interactions between species, and to reveal hidden social structure at the level of ecological communities. We demonstrate how techniques such as social network analysis can be used in conjunction with experiments and observations of individuals to explore the importance of individual variation and social recognition in the social dynamics of mixed-species flocks. RESUMEN Las bandadas de aves de especies mixtas son omnipresentes en todos los hábitats y un modelo para estudiar cómo la sociabilidad heteroespecífica influye en el comportamiento y la composición de las comunidades animales. Aquí revisamos la literatura sobre bandadas de especies mixtas y argumentamos que un enfoque renovado en las interacciones a nivel individual entre los miembros de la bandada puede transformar nuestro entendimiento de este icónico sistema social aviar. Específicam","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"47 1","pages":"1 - 12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-04-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"78367479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sulfur isotopic discrimination factors differ among avian tissues and diets: Insights from a case study in Gentoo Penguins","authors":"Natalia G. Rosciano, Angela R. Stahl, M. Polito","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad013","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The use of stable isotopes of sulfur (δ34S) to infer avian diets, foraging habitats, and movements is relatively uncommon, resulting in a lack of information on patterns of δ34S incorporation in avian tissue. In a controlled study of Gentoo Penguins (Pygoscelis papua), we found that diet-tissue isotopic discrimination factors (Δ34Sdiet-tissue) differed among egg components and feathers synthesized from a common diet, ranging from –0.4 to –1.7‰. We also found that methodical choices such as lipid extraction and prey tissue selection influenced calculated Δ34Sdiet-tissue values. Specifically, Δ34Sdiet-tissue values were lower (i.e., more negative) when calculated using whole fish relative to fish muscle and lipid-extraction biased egg yolk, but not fish tissue, δ34S values. The Δ34Sdiet-tissue values obtained for Gentoo Penguins fed a marine fish diet were generally lower than those reported for freshwater fish consumption by Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), the only other bird species in which Δ34Sdiet-tissue has been quantified. We found support for the hypothesis that tissue Δ34Sdiet-tissue values are inversely related to dietary δ34S values in birds, similar to what has been observed in mammals. Given this relationship, the discrimination factors reported here for Gentoo Penguins may be broadly applicable to other avian species with a similar marine diet. Finally, we provide recommendations for future studies seeking to quantify Δ34Sdiet-tissue in avian tissues and guidance to allow for greater application of sulfur stable isotope analysis in ornithological research. LAY SUMMARY Stable isotope analysis of sulfur can provide new discoveries on birds' diets and migration patterns if we gain a better understanding of how isotope values in bird tissues are related to those in their diets. We measured the difference in sulfur stable isotope values between Gentoo Penguins diets and their eggs and feathers in a controlled study. We found that the offset in sulfur isotope values from diets differed among tissues and is influenced by the choices researchers make when selecting and analyzing their samples. The difference in sulfur stable isotope values between diets and bird tissues is related to the isotope values of the diet itself, which can help researchers studying other birds in the absence of similar controlled studies. We provide recommendations for future research and guidance to promote the increased use of sulfur stable isotope analysis in bird studies. RESUMEN El uso de isótopos estables de azufre (δ34S) para inferir las dietas, los hábitats alimenticios y los movimientos de las aves es relativamente poco común, lo que genera una falta de información sobre los patrones de incorporación de δ34S en el tejido de las aves. En un estudio controlado de Pygoscelis papua, encontramos que los factores de discriminación isotópica de la dieta y los tejidos (Δ34Sdieta-tejido) diferían entre los componentes del huevo y las pluma","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"1 1","pages":"1 - 9"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79584453","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Vagrancy in Birds","authors":"José R Ramírez-Garofalo","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukac057","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukac057","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"32 1","pages":"1 - 2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"86947964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"David F. DeSante, 1942–2022","authors":"R. Siegel","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad003","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"15 1","pages":"1 - 2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-03-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"79721308","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Songbird Behavior and Conservation in the Anthropocene","authors":"E. Derryberry, A. Luo","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad004","url":null,"abstract":"The Anthropocene has seen the rapid decline of bird populations. Indeed, a recent analysis of songbird abundance in North America indicates that populations are one-quarter smaller (~3 billion fewer birds) than a half-century ago (Rosenberg et al. 2019). This shocking decline should be a calling to all ornithologists to turn their attention to conservation and management. A good starting point, Songbird Behavior and Conservation in the Anthropocene, aims to provide a behavior-focused management framework for beginners and practitioners alike. We found it exciting to read a book that explicitly focuses on the role that behavior plays in informing conservation and management strategies. An understanding of behavior is important for examinations of how animals solve problems in their environment, and there are certainly a lot of problems for songbirds to solve in the Anthropocene. From rising temperatures to multi-modal sensory pollution to habitat fragmentation and degradation, songbirds are navigating a rapidly changing environment. Understanding behavioral responses to these unprecedented challenges is key to informing management strategies. And yet, behavioral biologists often lag behind other fields in addressing how animals solve these challenges (Buchholz et al. 2019). This book does an excellent job providing an overview of what is known (and needs to be known) about songbird behavior in the context of the conservation challenges of the Anthropocene. The editor of the book, Darren S. Proppe, is himself a behavioral ecologist who not only studies the behavioral responses of birds to noise pollution, but also considers the resulting impact of noise and the transportation network on bird populations (Kociolek et al. 2011; Proppe et al. 2013). He is well-positioned to gather what is known about the role of behavior in the function and ecology of songbirds living in the Anthropocene. Proppe has selected an expert team of authors to generate each chapter. For instance, Todd Freeberg, along with Kimberley Mathot and Sue Ann Zollinger, provide an excellent primer on animal personality and its role in driving microevolution. They then continue to make a compelling argument for why animal personality is an important topic of study for conservation. They describe evidence for personality-related settlement patterns of songbirds in disturbed environments, such as the tendency for more aggressive Great Tits (Parus major) to settle more disturbed areas (Sprau and Dingemanse 2017) and biased dispersal of highly aggressive Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana) on the invasion front of a landscape altered by logging and then by human provisioning of nest boxes (Duckworth and Badyaev","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"55 1","pages":"1 - 2"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"76605855","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Beaver activity and red squirrel presence predict bird assemblages in boreal Canada","authors":"Mariano J. Feldman, M. Mazerolle, L. Imbeau, N. Fenton","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad009","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Wetlands and predation in boreal ecosystems play essential roles throughout the breeding season for bird assemblages. We found a positive association of beaver activity and a negative influence of American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) on bird assemblages. We used a multispecies hierarchical model to investigate whether bird communities differ between two major wetland habitats in boreal Canada: beaver ponds and peatland ponds. In addition to including variables such as forest cover and latitude, we adopted a structural equation model approach to estimate the occupancy of American red squirrels and its potential influence on bird communities. Using automated recording stations deployed at 50 ponds, we detected 96 bird species in 2018 and 2019. Bird species were grouped into four taxonomic guilds according to their habitat successional requirements: early successional species, late successional species, generalists, and wetland species. Beaver ponds harbored higher species richness, a pattern driven primarily by early successional species. The occupancy of almost a quarter of the species was lower in the presence of red squirrels. Late successional species responded positively to the cover of forest surrounding the pond. Our results highlight the value of considering acoustic data of red squirrels to quantify habitat quality in boreal forests. We conclude that beaver activity shapes bird assemblages through modification of their habitat, and that some bird guilds are associated negatively with the presence of American red squirrels. LAY SUMMARY Studies of bird assemblages and their responses to local and landscape factors in boreal landscapes can inform wetland conservation. The aim of our study was to assess how bird occupancy differed between two major pond types and responded to habitat, landscape factors, and potential predators in boreal assemblages in northeastern Canada. We detected 96 species using automated recorders deployed at 50 ponds in 2018 and 2019. Species richness was higher in beaver ponds than peatland ponds. Species richness was lower in the presence of red squirrel, a potential nest predator, and decreased with increasing latitude. Our results highlight the importance of beavers and factors associated with red squirrel presence in shaping bird assemblages in boreal landscapes. RÉSUME Les milieux humides et la prédation dans les écosystèmes boréaux jouent des rôles essentiels tout au long de la saison de reproduction pour les assemblages d'oiseaux. Nous avons trouvé une association positive entre les assemblages d'oiseaux et l'activité des castors, mais une association négative entre les assemblages d'oiseaux et la présence des écureuils roux d'Amérique (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus). Nous avons utilisé un modèle hiérarchique multi-espèces pour étudier si les communautés d'oiseaux diffèrent entre deux importants types de milieux humides du Canada boréal: les étangs de castors et les étangs de tourbières. Au-delà d","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"1 1","pages":"1 - 15"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"74950897","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Faster growth and larger size at crèche onset are associated with higher offspring survival in Adélie Penguins","authors":"S. Jennings, Katie M. Dugger, G. Ballard, D. Ainley","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad006","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad006","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT We conducted the first assessment of Adélie Penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae) chick survival that accounts for imperfect resighting. We found that when chicks are larger in size when they enter the crèche stage (the period when both parents forage at the same time and chicks are left relatively unprotected), they have a higher probability of survival to fledging. We investigated the relationships between growth, crèche timing, and chick survival during one typical year and one year of reduced food availability. Chicks that hatched earlier in the season entered the crèche stage older, and chicks that both grew faster and crèched older entered the crèche at a larger size. These relationships were stronger in the year of reduced food availability. Thus, parents increased their chicks' chance of fledging if they provided sufficient food for faster growth rates and/or extended the length of the brood-guarding period. Early nest initiation (i.e., early hatching) provided parents with the opportunity to extend the guard period and increase chick survival. However, to extend the guard stage successfully, they must provide larger meals and maintain higher chick growth rates, even if just one parent at a time is foraging, which previous work has shown is not possible for all individuals. We show that the factors governing tradeoffs in chick-rearing behavior of Adélie Penguin parents may vary in accord with environmental conditions, a result from which we can better understand species' adaptations to environmental changes. LAY SUMMARY When raising dependent young, animals must balance how much to invest in guarding the brood versus finding food for them. These so-called tradeoffs can influence how well the current brood grows and survives to independence. During two breeding seasons, one typical and one apparently food limited, we related Adélie Penguin chick survival rates to how fast they grew and the timing of a critical transition in brood-rearing when chicks switch from being guarded continuously by a parent to being left alone while both parents forage at the same time. We found that with a combination of early hatching and fast-growing, chicks entered the unguarded (“crèche”) stage older and larger and, therefore, had a better chance of surviving to independence. Certain parents can manage tradeoffs to maximize breeding success even during unfavorable conditions. These results can help us understand how populations will respond to changing climate and habitats. RESUMEN Realizamos la primera evaluación de la supervivencia de los polluelos de Pygoscelis adeliae que consideran los re-avistamientos imperfectos. Encontramos que cuando los polluelos son más grandes en tamaño al momento de ingresar a la etapa de guardería (el período en el que ambos progenitores se alimentan al mismo tiempo y los polluelos quedan relativamente desprotegidos), tienen una mayor probabilidad de sobrevivir hasta emplumar. Investigamos las relaciones entre el crecimiento, el","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"260 1","pages":"1 - 11"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"82959654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Haemosporidian infection prevalence varies temporally and spatially and Leucocytozoon infections are male biased in Song Sparrows","authors":"L. Grieves, Lydia Balogh, T. Kelly, E. MacDougall-Shackleton","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad008","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Haemosporidian parasites are significant global drivers of avian disease and infections are affected by complex ecological and biological interactions. We quantified variation in haemosporidian infection prevalence of Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon in 311 Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) from 2 breeding populations across years, seasons, age classes, and sexes, finding significant differences in infection prevalence across years, seasons, and sites, as well as sex differences in Leucocytozoon infection prevalence. We also found that birds were more likely to be infected with Plasmodium than Leucocytozoon and coinfections were more likely than expected. Many avian haemosporidian studies use data collected over a short period of time at one location, and few studies investigate multi-year infection dynamics across populations. However, such long-term studies are important because ecological factors can affect the distribution and prevalence of vector-borne pathogens like malaria. Because biological factors can also affect the likelihood of exposure to vector-borne pathogens, it is also important to determine how host traits influence infection dynamics. Our results demonstrate that the prevalence and composition of avian haemosporidian infections can be highly variable, making sampling regimes a key consideration when drawing conclusions from study results. To better understand the fitness consequences of haemosporidian infection in avian hosts, future work should take ecological and biological variation into account when evaluating the effects of infection on aspects of condition and quality, reproductive success, and survival. LAY SUMMARY Haemosporidia are widespread blood parasites that cause diseases in birds and other wildlife. We assessed factors that influence bird-specific haemosporidian infection in Song Sparrows by measuring variation in the prevalence of 3 genera of haemosporidian parasites in birds from 2 breeding populations across years, seasons, age groups, and sexes. We found significant differences in haemosporidian infection prevalence across years, seasons, and locations, and that males were more likely to be infected with one of the three parasites, Leucocytozoon. Birds were more likely to be infected with one group of parasites (Plasmodium), and infection with multiple types of parasites at the same time was more likely than expected by chance. We conclude that the prevalence and type of haemosporidian infections can be highly variable, making it important to consider how animal groups are sampled before making conclusions from any study. To better understand the impacts of haemosporidian infection in bird hosts, future work should take annual, seasonal, and host variation into account. RÉSUMÉ Les hémosporidies parasites sont d'importants vecteurs de maladies aviaires et les infections sont influencées par des interactions écologiques et biologiques complexes. Nous avons quantifié la variation de la préva","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"18 1","pages":"1 - 13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-02-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"90835614","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultraconserved elements resolve the phylogeny and corroborate patterns of molecular rate variation in herons (Aves: Ardeidae)","authors":"J. Hruska, Jesse Holmes, C. Oliveros, Subir B. Shakya, Philip Lavretsky, K. McCracken, F. Sheldon, R. Moyle","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad005","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Thoroughly sampled and well-supported phylogenetic trees are essential to taxonomy and to guide studies of evolution and ecology. Despite extensive prior inquiry, a comprehensive tree of heron relationships (Aves: Ardeidae) has not yet been published. As a result, the classification of this family remains unstable, and their evolutionary history remains poorly studied. Here, we sample genome-wide ultraconserved elements (UCEs) and mitochondrial DNA sequences (mtDNA) of >90% of extant species to estimate heron phylogeny using a combination of maximum likelihood, coalescent, and Bayesian inference methods. The UCE and mtDNA trees are mostly concordant with one another, providing a topology that resolves relationships among the 5 heron subfamilies and indicates that the genera Gorsachius, Botaurus, Ardea, and Ixobrychus are not monophyletic. We also present the first genetic data from the Forest Bittern Zonerodius heliosylus, an enigmatic species of New Guinea; our results suggest that it is a member of the genus Ardeola and not the Tigrisomatinae (tiger herons), as previously thought. Finally, we compare molecular rates between heron clades in the UCE tree with those in previously constructed mtDNA and DNA–DNA hybridization trees. We show that rate variation in the UCE tree corroborates rate patterns in the previously constructed trees—that bitterns (Ixobrychus and Botaurus) evolved comparatively faster, and some tiger herons (Tigrisoma) and the Boat-billed Heron (Cochlearius) more slowly, than other heron taxa. LAY SUMMARY We use genetic data from across the genome and produce a robust family tree for herons, which clarifies the relationships among subfamilies and genera. A comprehensive phylogeny of herons is lacking. As a result, their taxonomy is unstable and their evolutionary history is poorly known. Several species were found to be incorrectly classified, and we recommend appropriate taxonomic revisions. Comparisons of molecular evolution support previous studies. Bitterns have evolved comparatively faster, with some tiger herons and the Boat-billed Heron having evolved comparatively slower. RESUMEN Los árboles filogenéticos cuidadosamente muestreados y bien respaldados son esenciales para la taxonomía y para guiar los estudios de evolución y ecología. A pesar de una extensa investigación previa, aún no se ha publicado un árbol completo de las relaciones de las garzas (Aves: Ardeidae). Como resultado, la clasificación de esta familia sigue siendo inestable y su historia evolutiva sigue siendo poco estudiada. Aquí, tomamos muestras de elementos ultraconservados (EUCs) de todo el genoma y secuencias de ADN mitocondrial (ADNmt) de >90% de las especies existentes para estimar la filogenia de las garzas usando una combinación de métodos de máxima verosimilitud, coalescencia e inferencia bayesiana. Los árboles de EUC y ADNmt son en su mayoría concordantes entre sí, lo que proporciona una topología que resuelve las relaciones entre las cin","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"7 1","pages":"1 - 21"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"89699457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Female and male plumage brightness is positively correlated among populations of the dichromatic Variable Seedeater","authors":"D. Ocampo, G. Barrantes, J. Uy","doi":"10.1093/ornithology/ukad002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad002","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Because studies of plumage coloration often focus on highly elaborate and conspicuous males, little is known about the factors driving the evolution of drab plumage in females of dichromatic species. We explored variation in the color properties of drab female plumage across subspecies of the Variable Seedeater (Sporophila corvina) and found a correlation between plumage brightness of male and female plumage patches. This correlation is consistent with the hypothesis that differences in plumage brightness among females result, at least partially, from a genetic correlation or shared developmental pathway with the more conspicuous male plumage traits that are shaped by sexual selection. Furthermore, we modeled the perception of female plumage using the avian visual system and found that most of the variation in color among females is undetectable by birds; therefore, it is unlikely for such variation to have evolved via direct sexual selection as a signal for recognition or assortative mating. Together, these results suggest that variation in S. corvina female color result from non-adaptive processes. However, we found a reduced variation on color of dorsal patches compared with that of ventral patches among females, which could be explained by natural selection on crypsis, reducing the variation on dorsal patches. Finally, we found little differences in plumage color between adult females and juveniles, which suggest selection for juveniles to resemble adult females possibly to reduce aggression from adult males. Additional within-population studies and behavioral experiments are needed to discern the evolutionary factors driving variation on S. corvina female color and its function. LAY SUMMARY We evaluated color variation among females of the Variable Seedeater, an avian species in which females show an overall brown-yellowish and relatively uniform coloration among populations, contrary to the highly variable and contrasting black and white males. Among adult females, color variation is unlikely to facilitate subspecies recognition and assortative mating. The variation in plumage brightness of female ventral patches may result from more relaxed selection compared to dorsal patches and from a shared feather developmental pathway with sexually selected male patches. Adult females did not differ from young individuals, which may allow young males accessing mates, roosting sites, and food, while avoiding aggression from older territorial males. RESUMEN Debido a que los estudios de coloración del plumaje a menudo se centran en machos con plumajes elaborados y llamativos, sabemos poco sobre los factores que impulsan la evolución del plumaje monótono en las hembras de especies dicromáticas. Exploramos la variación en las propiedades del color del plumaje en hembras de Sporophila corvina y encontramos una correlación entre el brillo de los parches del plumaje de machos y hembras. Esta correlación es consistente con la hipótesis de que las dif","PeriodicalId":19617,"journal":{"name":"Ornithology","volume":"5 1 1","pages":"1 - 13"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2023-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"83418669","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}