Striking rusty-brown neck collars in Ruffs: plumage polymorphism or staining?

Wader Study ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yvonne I. Verkuil ◽  
Joop Jukema ◽  
Pavel S. Tomkovich ◽  
Nelli Rönkä ◽  
Jos C.E.W. Hooijmeijer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plumage Polymorphism

scholarly journals A Genotyping Assay to Determine Plumage Morph in The White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia Albicollis)

The Auk ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 1330-1335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasiliki Michopoulos ◽  
Donna L. Maney ◽  
Caroline B. Morehouse ◽  
James W. Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Social Behavior ◽  
Visual Inspection ◽  
Genetic Basis ◽  
Parental Behavior ◽  
Agarose Gel ◽  
Zonotrichia Albicollis ◽  
Banding Patterns ◽  
Genotyping Assay ◽  
Plumage Polymorphism

Abstract In alternate plumage, the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) is polymorphic, such that individuals exhibit a median crown stripe that is either white or tan in color. This plumage polymorphism is believed to be caused by a chromosomal inversion and predicts many aspects of an individual’s aggressive and parental behavior, which makes this species an interesting and valuable subject for the study of the genetic basis of social behavior. Although the plumage polymorphism is well described, in practice the determination of morph for individual birds is not perfectly straightforward. Whereas morph can be assessed relatively easily in alternate plumage, birds in basic plumage tend to show coloration characteristic of both morphs. During the winter and fall, therefore, plumage morph cannot be determined with 100% accuracy by visual inspection alone. Here, we describe a genotyping assay that reliably predicts morph in alternate plumage. DNA from one drop of blood is amplified by PCR, digested and run on an agarose gel. The resulting banding patterns are used to distinguish white-striped from tan-striped birds with 100% accuracy. This method is fast and economical compared with karyotyping, is far less subjective than assessment of morph by plumage characteristics, and can be performed using any kind of sample from which DNA can be extracted. Un test génotypique pour déterminer la forme du plumage chez Zonotrichia albicollis

scholarly journals The molecular basis of an avian plumage polymorphism in the wild

2001 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 550-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmalize Theron ◽  
Kim Hawkins ◽  
Eldredge Bermingham ◽  
Robert E. Ricklefs ◽  
Nicholas I. Mundy
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Plumage Polymorphism ◽  
In The Wild

scholarly journals Being Dark is Better: A Feral Pigeon Plumage Polymorphism as a Response to Urban Environments in Slovakia

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-61
Author(s):  
Alexander Csanády ◽  
Silvia Duranková
Keyword(s):  
Columba Livia ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Feral Pigeon ◽  
City Area ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Plumage Polymorphism ◽  
Human Density

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the distribution and plumage phenotypes of the feral pigeon, Columba livia forma urbana (Gmelin, 1789), in Slovakia. Censuses carried out in the built-up areas of 16 towns and cities from November to February (2012–2018) counted and evaluated 3,123 individual birds. The most frequent were melanic colored birds (checker, T-pattern and spread phenotypes), which predominated in the population (51.6%, n = 1,613), followed by paler ones (42.1%, n = 1,316) and other types (6.2%, n = 194). A statistically significant difference was confirmed among the melanic and paler plumage phenotypes (χ2 = 81.49, df = 15, p < 0.0001). Correlation confirmed the different importance of city area and human density on the maintenance of dark and/or pale pigeons living in cities.

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