scholarly journals A tail of plumage colouration: disentangling geographic, seasonal and dietary effects on plumage colour in a migratory songbird

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. Mahoney ◽  
Matthew W. Reudink ◽  
Andrea Contina ◽  
Kelly A. Roberts ◽  
Veronica T. Schabert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plumage Colour ◽  
Dietary Effects ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Migratory Songbird

scholarly journals A tail of plumage colouration: disentangling geographic, seasonal, and dietary effects on plumage colour in a migratory songbird

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M Mahoney ◽  
Matthew W Reudink ◽  
Andrea Contina ◽  
Kelly A Roberts ◽  
Veronica T Schabert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Geographic Variation ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Signaling Systems ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Pigment Deposition ◽  
American Redstarts ◽  
Feather Colouration ◽  
Migratory Songbird ◽  
Δ15n And Δ13c

Plumage ornamentation in birds serves critical inter- and intra-sexual signaling functions. While carotenoid-based plumage colouration is often viewed as a classic condition-dependent sexually selected trait, plumage colouration can be influenced by a wide array of both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Understanding the mechanisms underlying variation in colouration is especially important for species where the signaling function of ornamental traits is complex or the literature conflicting. Here, we examined variation in the yellow/orange tail feathers of American redstarts (Setophaga ruticilla) passing through two migratory stopover sites in eastern North America during both spring and fall migration to assess the role of geographic variation and seasonality in influencing feather colouration. In addition, we investigated whether diet during moult (inferred via stable isotope analysis of feather δ15N and δ13C) influenced plumage colouration. Our findings indicate that geographic variation, season, and diet all influence individual differences in American redstart colouration. However, the extent to which these factors influence colour expression is largely dependent on the colour metric under study, likely because different colour metrics reflect different attributes of the feather (e.g., structural components vs. pigment deposition). The effects of diet (δ15N) and season were pronounced for brightness, suggesting a strong effect of diet and feather wear/degradation on feather structure. Though hue, a metric that should strongly reflect pigment deposition, was also associated with a reduction in ornamentation from spring to fall, that effect was dependent on age, with only adults experiencing a reduction in ornamentation. Taken together, our results highlight the numerous sources of variation of plumage coloration and underscores the difficulty of unraveling complex visual signaling systems, such as those in American redstarts.

scholarly journals GLOBAL PATTERNS OF PLUMAGE COLOUR EVOLUTION IN ISLAND-LIVING PASSERIFORM BIRDS

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M Mahoney ◽  
Madison D. Oud ◽  
Claudie Pageau ◽  
Marcio Argollo de Menezes ◽  
Nathan Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Latitudinal Gradient ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Social Selection ◽  
Plumage Colour ◽  
Island Size ◽  
Evolutionary Trajectory ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Important Trait ◽  
Global Patterns

Plumage coloration is an important trait involved communication and is shaped by a variety of ecological pressures. Island residency has the potential to change the evolutionary trajectory of plumage colour by differences in habitat and resources, or by altering predation pressure and social selection intensity. Latitude, island size, and isolation may further influence colour evolution by biasing colonization. Therefore, general patterns of plumage evolution are difficult to disentangle. We used phylogenetically controlled analyses to assess the influence of island residency on plumage colouration, by calculating chromaticity values from red, blue, green scores extracted from photos of Order Passeriformes birds. Importantly, we controlled for ecological factors hypothesized to influence colour evolution and assessed family-level effects. We found 1) colour varied between islands and mainlands in females, but not males, and both sexes were affected by several ecological factors; 2) patterns of colour evolution varied among families; 3) island size and distance to the mainland and other islands significantly influenced colour; and 4) interactions between ecological factors and latitude were consistently influenced colour, supporting a latitudinal gradient hypothesis. Our results indicate although island residency influences female colour evolution, a myriad of ecological factors drive plumage colour and the patterns vary among families.

Relationships between carotenoid-based female plumage and age, reproduction, and mate colour in the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (8) ◽  
pp. 589-595 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew M. Osmond ◽  
Matthew W. Reudink ◽  
Ryan R. Germain ◽  
Peter P. Marra ◽  
Joseph J. Nocera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
First Year ◽  
Plumage Colour ◽  
Setophaga Ruticilla ◽  
Reflectance Spectrometry ◽  
American Redstart ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
American Redstarts ◽  
Second Year

Most studies investigating the function and evolution of ornaments have focused on males. Variation in ornaments may also reflect individual quality and convey information in females. We examined correlations between female plumage colour and reproductive variables in the sexually dichromatic songbird, the American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla (L., 1758)). Female American Redstarts display yellow, carotenoid-based plumage patches on their tails, wings, and flanks. Using reflectance spectrometry, we quantified brightness (feather structure) and “yellowness” (hue and chroma) of tail and flank feathers to examine whether female plumage colour varies with age, reproductive success, parental care, and the plumage colour of mates. Female plumage varied with age, with adult (after-second-year) females having brighter tail feathers than first-year females. We failed to find a relationship between female plumage colour and pairing or first-egg dates. However, adult females with brighter tails visited their nests less frequently and first-year females with brighter tails fledged fewer offspring. Adult females with brighter tails also mated with males who provided less care. In addition, adult females with yellower flanks paired with males with brighter flanks and with males who provided less parental care. We suggest that plumage colouration in female American Redstarts can act as a signal of individual age and quality.

Disparity of dietary effects on collagen characteristics and toughness between two beef muscles

Meat Science ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 86 (2) ◽  
pp. 491-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.C. Archile-Contreras ◽  
I.B. Mandell ◽  
P.P. Purslow
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Effects ◽  
Beef Muscles

Dietary Effects of Bitter Gourd Oil on Blood and Liver Lipids of Rats

2001 ◽  
Vol 396 (2) ◽  
pp. 207-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryoko Noguchi ◽  
Yumiko Yasui ◽  
Rikako Suzuki ◽  
Masashi Hosokawa ◽  
Kenji Fukunaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bitter Gourd ◽  
Liver Lipids ◽  
Dietary Effects

EXPERIMENTALLY REDUCING NEIGHBOR DENSITY AFFECTS REPRODUCTION AND BEHAVIOR OF A MIGRATORY SONGBIRD

Ecology ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 85 (9) ◽  
pp. 2467-2477 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Scott Sillett ◽  
Nicholas L. Rodenhouse ◽  
Richard T. Holmes
Keyword(s):  
Migratory Songbird ◽  
And Behavior

Dietary effects of fats upon fatty acid composition of the mitochondria

1961 ◽  
Vol 94 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-120 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.J. Marco ◽  
L.J. Machlin ◽  
E. Emery ◽  
R.S. Gordon
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acid Composition ◽  
Fatty Acid ◽  
Acid Composition ◽  
Dietary Effects
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