Wing whiteness as an indicator of age, immunocompetence, and testis size in the Eurasian Black-Billed Magpie (<i>Pica pica</i>)

Blanco, Guillermo; Fargallo, Juan A.

doi:10.1525/auk.2013.12201

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…White brightness may be associated with either the quantity or activity of complement enzymes or lysozyme that are primarily responsible for this aspect of the innate immune response (Matson et al, 2006). The results for females were similar to other recent studies that indicated the size, number or reflectance of white plumage patches is related to the strength of the immune response or parasite load in female birds (Hanssen et al, 2006;Zanollo et al, 2012;Blanco and Fargallo, 2013). Our results suggest that greater attention should be paid to the reflectance of large, white patches of plumage, which are infrequently examined in most avian studies despite being relatively common.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

“…Only recently have studies examined the relationship between female coloration and immunity and have primarily focused on white plumage patches. In female common eiders (Somateria mollissima), smaller white wing bands are associated with immunosuppression (Hanssen et al, 2006), while larger wing patches are associated with lower parasite loads in Eurasian black-billed magpies (Pica pica) (Blanco and Fargallo, 2013). A greater number of white spots and spots with greater UV reflectance are associated with a stronger cutaneous immune response in female diamond firetails (Stagonopleura guttata) (Zanollo et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Relationships among plumage coloration, blood selenium concentrations, and immune responses of adult and nestling tree swallows

Beck

Hawley

2015

Journal of Experimental Biology

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In a number of taxa, males and females both display ornaments that may be associated with individual quality and could be reliable signals to potential mates or rivals. We examined the iridescent blue/green back and white breast of adult tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) to determine whether plumage reflectance is related to adult or offspring immune responses. We simultaneously addressed the influence of blood selenium levels and the interaction between blood selenium and plumage coloration on adult and nestling immunity. Selenium is a wellknown antioxidant necessary for mounting a robust immune response but its importance in wild birds remains poorly understood. In females, the brightness of white breast coloration was positively associated with bactericidal capacity, but there was no association with blood selenium. In contrast, male bactericidal capacity was associated with an interactive effect between dorsal plumage coloration and blood selenium concentration. Males with bluer hues and greater blue chroma showed increased bactericidal capacity as blood selenium concentrations increased, while bactericidal capacity declined in greener males at higher blood selenium concentrations. In nestlings, bactericidal capacity was positively associated with nestling blood selenium concentrations and white brightness of both social parents. These results suggest that white plumage reflectance is indicative of quality in tree swallows and that greater attention should be paid to the reflectance of large white plumage patches. Additionally, the role of micronutrients, such as selenium, in mediating relationships between physiology and signals of quality, should be explored further.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 85%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationships among plumage coloration, blood selenium concentrations, and immune responses of adult and nestling tree swallows

Beck

Hawley

2015

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…All these properties are characteristics to sexually selected traits (Andersson ), however, selection on the wing tip pattern of gulls has never been investigated. In other bird species, white plumage regions are often viewed as traits with little utilitarian function and thus, serving as sexually selected signals of individual quality (Kose and Møller , Moreno‐Rueda , Hanssen et al , , Blanco and Fargallo , Saino et al ). The condition dependence of white plumage patches has gained ample support across species although the proximate mechanisms ensuring their honesty may vary in different ecological settings.…”

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confidence: 99%

A small badge of longevity: opposing survival selection on the size of white and black wing markings

Sepp

Rattiste

Saks

et al. 2017

Journal of Avian Biology

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According to handicap principle, exaggerated ornamental traits are supposed to exert costs on their bearers. However, there is much less theoretical and practical consensus about whether and under which conditions ornament expression should positively correlate with survival. We measured age‐related variation and survival selection on the size of white wing patches and black wing tips in a long‐lived monogamous seabird, the common gull Larus canus. Males had larger white patches than females but patch size showed concave relationship with age irrespective of sex, suggesting that white patch size was prone to senescence in both sexes. Extent of wing tip abrasion correlated negatively with the size of white patch, suggesting, in agreement with the Zahavian handicap hypothesis that only individuals with largest ornaments are able of maintaining them and not paying cost of displaying them. Areas of white wing patches and black wing tips correlated negatively. Irrespective of sex, survival selection favored birds with larger white wing patches and smaller black wing tips, which suggests that white and black wing markings may have coevolved as reverse components of a single ornament. Altogether, our results provide an evidence for the case where survival selection on ornamental traits in females is not weaker than in males. Absence of sex differences with respect to most of observed patterns is consistent with a prediction that among monogamous long‐lived species with biparental care, mutual mate choice leads to evolution of elaborate ornamental traits in both sexes.

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“…First, aging birds is an imperfect art, with much uncertainty due to both observation and sampling error. In a few exceptional cases, clear correlates have been identified among traits such as wing color, age, and reproductive potential (Blanco and Fargallo, 2013). In the current exercise we made some simple assumptions regarding the handful of birds that we captured that proved difficult to age.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Optimal sampling frequency and timing of threatened tropical bird populations: A modeling approach

Banks

Rinnovatore

et al. 2015

Ecological Modelling

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a b s t r a c tConservation of threatened or endangered species relies critically on accurate population counts over time. In practice, many population censuses are conducted by non-governmental organizations or volunteer citizen scientists who are constrained by fiscal and temporal resources. Less than optimal sampling regimens (characterized by infrequent and/or irregular schedules) for conducting population censuses can result in woefully misleading population estimates -and thus have dire consequences for management and conservation. We illustrate this using an East African case study in which 14 years of bird data was collected in the Arabuko-Sokoke Forest in coastal Kenya. We first estimate life history parameters in a discrete matrix model. Desiring a data collection protocol which would lessen observation error and lend to a deeper understanding of population projections and dynamics of a threatened species, we carry out mathematical and statistical modeling efforts with an adaptation of a Leslie model for simulated population estimates stemming from different population sampling schemes. We illustrate how resource managers might take a strategic approach, using simple quantitative models, to develop an optimal sampling scheme that considers important species traits, such as breeding season, and balances the tradeoff between resources and accuracy.

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Wing whiteness as an indicator of age, immunocompetence, and testis size in the Eurasian Black-Billed Magpie (Pica pica)

Cited by 10 publications

References 107 publications

Relationships among plumage coloration, blood selenium concentrations, and immune responses of adult and nestling tree swallows

Relationships among plumage coloration, blood selenium concentrations, and immune responses of adult and nestling tree swallows

A small badge of longevity: opposing survival selection on the size of white and black wing markings

Optimal sampling frequency and timing of threatened tropical bird populations: A modeling approach

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