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The frequency distribution of bird body weights: aquatic and terrestrial species
Author(s) -
GASTON KEVIN J.,
BLACKBURN TIM M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/j.1474-919x.1995.tb03245.x
Subject(s) - biology , distribution (mathematics) , skew , frequency distribution , ecology , zoology , statistics , mathematics , mathematical analysis , physics , astronomy
The frequency distribution of the log‐transformed body‐weights of the world's bird species is right‐skewed. The reasons for this skew are unknown. Aquatic bird species are on average heavier and have a less skewed distribution of weights than would be expected if they were a random sample from the overall weight distribution. Conversely, terrestrial species on average weigh less, and their weight distribution is more skewed. This is partly a phylogenetic effect; species of aquatic and terrestrial birds belong to different families. These differences suggest factors which may be important determinants of the overall weight distribution of birds.