Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine
While studies of achromatic plumage signaling are scarce relative to chromatic ornaments, achromatic ornaments have the potential to act as an efficient form of visual communication due to the highly conspicuous contrast between black and white body regions. Recently, achromatic plumage reflectance...
Published in: | Journal of Avian Biology |
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Online Access: | https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ibiopub/94 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x |
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ftunivwindsor:oai:scholar.uwindsor.ca:ibiopub-1093 2023-06-11T04:09:06+02:00 Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine Guindre-Parker, Sarah Gilchrist, H. Grant Baldo, Sarah Love, Oliver P. 2013-06-01T07:00:00Z https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ibiopub/94 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x unknown Scholarship at UWindsor https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ibiopub/94 doi:10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x Integrative Biology Publications Integrative Biology text 2013 ftunivwindsor https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x 2023-05-06T19:11:27Z While studies of achromatic plumage signaling are scarce relative to chromatic ornaments, achromatic ornaments have the potential to act as an efficient form of visual communication due to the highly conspicuous contrast between black and white body regions. Recently, achromatic plumage reflectance has been shown to indicate condition, yet the condition-dependence of achromatic patch size remains unstudied. Here we show the first evidence that alula size, an achromatic plumage patch, has the potential to signal a male's condition and predict reproductive performance. In Arctic-breeding snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis, the size of the alula simultaneously predicted pre-breeding physiological health and the number of offspring produced, through an intermediate variable (lay date). Snow buntings appear to pair assortatively; males and females arriving earlier pair together, and changes in body condition over the breeding season are positively related within pairs. We suggest that simple achromatic plumage patches, like alula size, have the potential to act as condition-dependent signals. Consequently, females may benefit from assessing these signals to reliably evaluate a male's condition and reproductive potential as a means of maximizing their reproductive success. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Avian Biology © 2013 Nordic Society Oikos. Text Arctic Plectrophenax nivalis University of Windsor, Ontario: Scholarship at UWindsor Arctic Journal of Avian Biology 44 3 209 215 |
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Open Polar |
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University of Windsor, Ontario: Scholarship at UWindsor |
op_collection_id |
ftunivwindsor |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Integrative Biology |
spellingShingle |
Integrative Biology Guindre-Parker, Sarah Gilchrist, H. Grant Baldo, Sarah Love, Oliver P. Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine |
topic_facet |
Integrative Biology |
description |
While studies of achromatic plumage signaling are scarce relative to chromatic ornaments, achromatic ornaments have the potential to act as an efficient form of visual communication due to the highly conspicuous contrast between black and white body regions. Recently, achromatic plumage reflectance has been shown to indicate condition, yet the condition-dependence of achromatic patch size remains unstudied. Here we show the first evidence that alula size, an achromatic plumage patch, has the potential to signal a male's condition and predict reproductive performance. In Arctic-breeding snow buntings Plectrophenax nivalis, the size of the alula simultaneously predicted pre-breeding physiological health and the number of offspring produced, through an intermediate variable (lay date). Snow buntings appear to pair assortatively; males and females arriving earlier pair together, and changes in body condition over the breeding season are positively related within pairs. We suggest that simple achromatic plumage patches, like alula size, have the potential to act as condition-dependent signals. Consequently, females may benefit from assessing these signals to reliably evaluate a male's condition and reproductive potential as a means of maximizing their reproductive success. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Avian Biology © 2013 Nordic Society Oikos. |
format |
Text |
author |
Guindre-Parker, Sarah Gilchrist, H. Grant Baldo, Sarah Love, Oliver P. |
author_facet |
Guindre-Parker, Sarah Gilchrist, H. Grant Baldo, Sarah Love, Oliver P. |
author_sort |
Guindre-Parker, Sarah |
title |
Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine |
title_short |
Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine |
title_full |
Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine |
title_fullStr |
Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine |
title_full_unstemmed |
Alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an Arctic-breeding passerine |
title_sort |
alula size signals male condition and predicts reproductive performance in an arctic-breeding passerine |
publisher |
Scholarship at UWindsor |
publishDate |
2013 |
url |
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ibiopub/94 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic Plectrophenax nivalis |
genre_facet |
Arctic Plectrophenax nivalis |
op_source |
Integrative Biology Publications |
op_relation |
https://scholar.uwindsor.ca/ibiopub/94 doi:10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-048X.2012.05817.x |
container_title |
Journal of Avian Biology |
container_volume |
44 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
209 |
op_container_end_page |
215 |
_version_ |
1768382824864284672 |