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No evidence for general condition‐dependence of structural plumage colour in blue tits: an experiment
Author(s) -
PETERS A.,
KURVERS R. H. J. M.,
ROBERTS M. L.,
DELHEY K.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of evolutionary biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.289
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1420-9101
pISSN - 1010-061X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2011.02229.x
Subject(s) - plumage , biology , moulting , feather , seasonal breeder , sexual selection , trait , zoology , reflectivity , white (mutation) , ecology , larva , genetics , physics , computer science , optics , programming language , gene
Condition‐dependence is a central but contentious tenet of evolutionary theories on the maintenance of ornamental traits, and this is particularly true for structural plumage colour. By providing diets of different nutritional quality to moulting male and female blue tits, we experimentally manipulated general condition within the natural range, avoiding deprivation or stressful treatments. We measured reflectance of the structural‐coloured UV/blue crown, a sexually selected trait in males, and the white cheek, a nonpigmented structural colour, directly after moult and again during the following spring mating season. We employed a variety of colour indices, based on spectral shape and avian visual models but, despite significant variation in condition and coloration, found no evidence for condition‐dependence of UV/blue or white plumage colour during either season. These and previously published results suggest that structural colour might be sensitive to stress, rather than reduced body condition, during moult.

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