Cosmetic enhancement of signal coloration: experimental evidence in the house finch

López‐Rull, Isabel; Pagán, Iluminada; Garcia, Constantino Macõ ́ as

doi:10.1093/beheco/arq053

Cited by 47 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Moreover, when blue tit preen wax was applied to a white standard or white feathers, the brightness significantly decreased (Delhey et al, 2008). The darkening effect of preen wax was experimentally confirmed for carotenoid red plumage of house finch Carpodacus mexicanus, by both applying preen wax or by blocking access to uropygial gland (López-Rull, 2010). In agreement with my results, preen wax reduced the overall reflectance of the bill's of nestling tawny owls (Strix aluco, Piault et al, 2008).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Natural soiling has a small effect on structurally-based plumage coloration

Surmacki

2011

Animal Biol

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Plumage coloration is an important trait used by birds in mate choice decisions and is often an indicator of social status. The two main types of color-producing mechanisms in feathers are pigment deposition (pigmentary coloration) or the coherent scattering of light reflected from keratin microstructure (structural coloration). External factors acting on the feather surface are also hypothesized to affect structural coloration. Because preening is an energy and time demanding behavior, color variation caused by soiling deposition is generally assumed to strengthen the condition signaling function of plumage coloration. To date, studies using artificial soiling have confirmed those hypotheses. However, information about how natural soiling affects plumage color are still scarce. In this paper, I investigated the effect of natural soiling on structurally-based feather color of blue tits Cyanistes caeruleus. As a method, I applied mechanical cleaning that functionally mimicked natural preening. Removal of soiling caused a decrease of ultraviolet (UV) chroma in males and decrease in brightness in females. According to visual contrast modeling, only changes in brightness should be perceived by birds. Further, more efficient chemical cleaning resulted in a significant increase in brightness in both sexes, presumably due to preen wax removal. These results suggest that the impact of natural feather soiling is not likely to modify structural coloration signaling. One possible explanation is that, under natural conditions, the amount of soil accumulating on feathers is too small to affect coloration.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Natural soiling has a small effect on structurally-based plumage coloration

Surmacki

2011

Animal Biol

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“…Preen oil may be an important component of the feather mite diet, and its production promotes mite abundance (Galván and Sanz 2006). Simultaneously, application of uropygial gland secretions may elaborate the reflectance of long-wavelength carotenoid-based colors (López-Rull et al 2010). Thus, the positive relationship between coloration and mite occurrence that we observed in male juvenile Bearded Reedlings might occur because both are promoted by preen oil production.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Juvenile sexual dimorphism, dichromatism and condition-dependent signaling in a bird species with early pair bonds

Surmacki

Stępniewski²

2015

J Ornithol

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Sexual selection in juvenile vertebrates is a rare and seldom studied phenomenon. Bearded Reedlings are passerines that form stable, life-long pair bonds within a few weeks after fledging. We investigated the degree to which juvenile Bearded Reedlings are sexually dimorphic and whether they possess condition-dependent ornaments. We found significant intersexual differences in the bill reflectance, reflectance and size of eumelanin-based plumage traits (lore and back patch) and morphological traits. Females that were in better body condition had longer tails and bills with greater red chroma, and lore size was negatively related to the occurrence of chewing lice. In males, body condition was positively related to melanic back patch length. Moreover, a positive relationship between bill color and feather mite load in males suggests a symbiotic, rather than parasitic, relationship. Our study provides the first evidence that sexually dimorphic traits in immature birds with pair bonds have the potential to signal condition and resistance to parasites.

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“…Hence, it cannot be excluded that these chemical changes could improve or alter the visual characteristics of the plumage or they could also alter the odour of the birds, making potential mates or specific individuals easier to identify, which was found in other birds (Hagelin et al 2003; López-Rull et al 2010; Pérez-Rodríguez et al 2011). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal changes in the preen wax composition of the Herring gull Larus argentatus

et al. 2017

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The preen gland produces oily secretion, which smeared onto a bird’s plumage improves its maintenance. The main components of the secretion are waxes, and its composition often changes during the year. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the chemical composition of preen waxes in adult herring gulls Larus argentatus, captured in Poland in winter and in the breeding season. Preen gland secretions of herring gulls consist of monoester waxes, composed of about 29 saturated C7–C16 fatty acids and about 51 saturated C11–C20 alcohols. Unbranched-octanoic acid and n-hexadecanol dominated fatty acid and alcohol fractions, respectively, but 2-methyl-branched compounds were numerous in all individuals. The chemical compositions of fatty acids and alcohols differ between winter and the breeding season. In breeding gulls, 2-monomethyl-branched fatty acids were lower in content or could not be found, contrary to herring gulls in winter, where 2-monomethyl-substituted fatty acids were the second most abundant among all the fatty acids. Breeding gulls had also a higher content of n-octanoic acid and n-hexadecanol and a lower content of 2,6- and 2,8-dimethyl-substituted fatty acids than individuals caught during the winter. Differences in fatty acid composition were greater in breeding males, which incubate more often at night than breeding females. Hence, chemical changes in the preen wax composition in males may have evolved as additional nocturnal protection against mammalian predators which use olfaction to detect their prey and which are more active at night; however, this needs to be tested. Olfactory-based mate recognition in the colony also cannot be excluded at this stage of experimentation.

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Cosmetic enhancement of signal coloration: experimental evidence in the house finch

Cited by 47 publications

References 43 publications

Natural soiling has a small effect on structurally-based plumage coloration

Natural soiling has a small effect on structurally-based plumage coloration

Juvenile sexual dimorphism, dichromatism and condition-dependent signaling in a bird species with early pair bonds

Seasonal changes in the preen wax composition of the Herring gull Larus argentatus

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