Tail length in birds in relation to tail shape, general flight ecology and sexual selection

Journal of Evolutionary Biology

Volumn 12, Issue 1, 1999, Pages 49-60

  Fitzpatrick, S ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF ULSTER   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Handicap; Morphometrics; Natural selection; Ornaments; Sexual selection

Indexed keywords

FLIGHT BEHAVIOR; MORPHOLOGY; SEXUAL SELECTION; TAIL FEATHER;

EID: 0032955746     PISSN: 1010061X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1046/j.1420-9101.1999.00009.x     Document Type: Article

References (45)

1. Alatalo, R.V., Höglund, J. & Lundberg, A. 1988. Patterns of variation in tail ornament size in birds. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 34: 363-374.
2. Andersson, M. 1986. Evolution of condition-dependent sex ornaments and mating preferences: sexual selection based on viability differences. Evolution 40: 804-816.
3. Andersson, M. 1994. Sexual Selection. Princeton University Press, Princeton.
4. Andersson, S. & Andersson, M. 1994. Tail ornamentation, size dimorphism and wing length in the genus Euplectes (Ploceinae). Auk 111: 80-86.
5. Balmford, A., Jones, I.L. & Thomas, A. 1994. How to compensate for costly sexually selected tails: the origin of sexually dimorphic wings in long-tailed birds. Evolution 48: 1062-1070.
6. Balmford, A., Thomas, A.L.R. & Jones, I.L. 1993. Aerodynamics and the evolution of long tails in birds. Nature, London 361: 628-631.
7. Cramp, S. 1985. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 4. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
8. Cramp, S. 1988. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 5. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
9. Cramp, S. 1992. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 6. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
10. Cramp, S. & Perrins, C.M. 1993. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 7. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
11. Cramp, S. & Perrins, C.M. 1994a. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 8. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
12. Cramp, S. & Perrins, C.M. 1994b. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 9. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
13. Cramp, S. & Simmons, K.E.L. 1977. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. I. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
14. Cramp, S. & Simmons, K.E.L. 1980. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 2. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
15. Cramp, S. & Simmons, K.E.L. 1983. The Birds of the Western Palearctic, Vol. 3. Oxford University Press, Oxford.
16. Darwin, C. 1871. The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex. Murray, London.
17. Enquist, M. & Arak, A. 1993. Selection of exaggerated male traits by female aesthetic senses. Nature, London 361: 446-448.
18. Evans, M.R. & Thomas, A.L.R. 1992. The aerodynamic and mechanical effects of elongated tails in the scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird: measuring the cost of a handicap. Anim. Behav. 43: 337-347.
19. Evans, M.R. & Thomas, A.L.R. 1997. Testing the functional significance of tail streamers. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 264: 211-217.
20. Fitzpatrick, S. 1997. Patterns of morphometric variation in birds' tails: length, shape and variability. Biol. J. Linn. Soc. 62: 145-162.
21. Fitzpatrick, S. 1998. Birds' tails as signaling devices: markings, shape, length, and feather quality. Am. Nat. 151: 157-173.
22. Fox, J. 1984. Linear Statistical Models and Related Methods. Wiley, New York.
23. Fry, C.H. 1992. The Moreau ecological overview. Ibis 134 (Suppl. 1): 3-6.
24. Grafen, A. 1990a. Biological signals as handicaps. J. Theor. Biol. 144: 517-546.
25. Grafen, A. 1990b. Sexual selection unhandicapped by the Fisher process. J. Theor. Biol. 144: 473-516.
26. Johnstone, R.A. 1995. Sexual selection, honest advertisement and the handicap principle: reviewing the evidence. Biol. Rev. 70: 1-65.
27. Møller, A.P. 1988. Female choice selects for male sexual tail ornaments in the monogamous swallow. Nature, London 332: 640-642.
28. Møller, A.P. 1989. Viability costs of male tail ornaments in a swallow. Nature, London 339: 132-135.
29. Møller, A.P. 1994. Sexual Selection and the Barn Swallow. Oxford University Press. Oxford.
30. Møller, A.P., de Lope, F. & López Caballero, J.M. 1995a. Foraging costs of a tail ornament: experimental evidence from two populations of barn swallows Hirundo rustica with different degrees of sexual size dimorphism. Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 37: 289-295.
31. Møller, A.P., de Lope, F. & Saino, N. 1995b. Sexual selection in the barn swallow Hirundo rustica. VI. Aerodynamic adaptations. J. Evol. Biol. 8: 671-687.
32. Moreau, R.E. 1972. The Palaearctic-African Bird Migration Systems. Academic Press, London.
33. Norberg, R. 1994. Swallow tail streamer is a mechanical device for self-deflection of tail leading edge, enhancing aerodynamic efficiency and flight manoeuvrability. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 257: 227-233.
34. Pagel, M. & Harvey, P.H. 1988. Recent developments in the analysis of comparative data. Q. Rev. Biol. 63: 413-440.
35. Ranta, E., Laurila, A. & Elmberg, J. 1994. Reinventing the wheel: analysis of sexual dimorphism in body size. Oikos 70: 313-321.
36. Rowe, L. & Houle, D. 1996. The lek paradox and the capture of genetic variance by condition dependent traits. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B 263: 1415-1421.
37. Ryan, M.J. & Keddy-Hector, A. 1992. Directional patterns of female mate choice and the role of sensory bias. Am. Nat. 139 (Suppl.): S4-S35.
38. Sibley, C.G. & Ahlquist, J.E. 1990. Phylogeny and Classification of Birds. Yale University Press, New Haven.
39. Thomas, A.L.R. 1993. On the aerodynamics of birds' tails. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. B 340: 361-380.
40. Thomas, A.L.R. 1996. Why do birds have tails? The tail as a drag reducing flap, and trim control. J. Theor. Biol. 183: 247-253.
41. Thomas, A.L.R. & Balmford, A. 1995. How natural selection shapes birds' tails. Am. Nat. 146: 848-868.
42. Wiklund, C.G. 1996. Body length and wing length provide univariate estimates of overall body size in the merlin. Condor 98: 581-588.
43. Zahavi, A. 1975. Mate selection - a selection for a handicap. J. Theor. Biol. 53: 205-214.
44. Zahavi, A. 1977. The cost of honesty (further remarks on the handicap principle). J. Theor. Biol. 67: 603-605.
45. Zahavi, A. 1991. On the definition of sexual selection, Fisher's model, and the evolution of waste and of signals in general. Anim. Behav. 42: 501-503.