Inter-annual variation and information content of melanin-based coloration in female Eurasian kestrels

Biological Journal of the Linnean Society

Volumn 97, Issue 4, 2009, Pages 781-790

  Vergara, Pablo ^a   Fargallo, Juan A ^a   MartÍnez Padilla, Jesús ^b   Lemus, Jesús A ^a  

^a MUSEO NACIONAL DE CIENCIAS NATURALES   (Spain)

^b UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN   (United Kingdom)

Author keywords

Age; Breeding success; Eumelanin; Phenotypic plasticity; Pheomelanin; Sexual selection; Signalling theory

Indexed keywords

ANNUAL VARIATION; BIRD; CLUTCH SIZE; ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS; EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY; FEMALE BEHAVIOR; GENETIC VARIATION; PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY; PIGMENT; REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR; SEXUAL SELECTION; SIGNALING;

FALCO TINNUNCULUS;

EID: 68349154221     PISSN: 00244066     EISSN: 10958312     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01263.x     Document Type: Article

References (86)

1. Amundsen T. 2000. Why are female birds ornamented? Trends in Ecology and Evolution 15 : 149 155.
2. Amundsen T, Forsgren E, Hansen LTT. 1997. On the function of female ornaments: male bluethroats prefer colourful females. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 264 : 1579 1586.
3. Amundsen T, Pärn H. 2006. Female coloration: review of functional and nonfunctional hypotheses. In : Hill GE, McGraw KJ, eds. Bird coloration, Vol. II. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 280 345.
4. Andersson M. 1994. Sexual selection. Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press.
5. Avilés JM, Solís E, Valencia J, de la Cruz C, Sorci G. 2008. Female and male plumage brightness correlate with nesting failure in azure-winged magpies Cyanopica cyanus. Journal of Avian Biology 39 : 257 261.
6. Bize P, Gasparini J, Klopfenstein AL, Altwegg R, Roulin A. 2006. Melanin-based coloration is a nondirectionally selected sex-specific signal of offspring development in the Alpine Swift. Evolution 60 : 2370 2380.
7. Bortolotti GR, Blas J, Negro JJ, Tella JL. 2006. A complex plumage pattern as an honest social signal. Animal Behaviour 72 : 423 430.
8. Bortolotti GR, González LM, Margalida A, Sánchez R, Oria J. 2008. Positive assortative pairing by pluamge colour in Spanish imperial eagles. Behavioral Processes 78 : 100 107.
9. Burley N. 1981. Mate choice by multiple criteria in a monogamous species. American Naturalist 117 : 515 528.
10. Bókony V, Liker A. 2005. Melanin-based black plumage coloration is related to reproductive investment in Carduelis finches. Condor 107 : 775 787.
11. Cornwallis CK, Birkhead TR. 2007a. Experimental evidence that female ornamentation increases the acqusition of sperm and signals fecundity. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 274 : 583 590.
12. Cornwallis CK, Birkhead TR. 2007b. Changes in sperm quality and numbers in response to experimental manipulation of male social status and female attractiveness. American Naturalist 170 : 758 770.
13. Cuervo JJ, de Lope F, Møller AP. 1996. The function of long tails in female barn swallows (Hirundo rustica): an experimental study. Behavioral Ecology 7 : 132 136.
14. Darwin C. 1871. The descent of man and selection in relation to sex. J Murray.
15. Ducrest A-L, Keller L, Roulin A. 2008. Pleiotrophy in the melanocortin system, coloration and behavioral syndromes. Trends in Ecology and Evolution 23 : 502 510.
16. Doutrelant C, Grégoire A, Grnac N, Gomez D, Lambrechts MM, Perret P. 2008. Female coloration indicates female reproductive capacity in blue tits. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 21 : 226 233.
17. Fargallo JA, Blanco G, Potti J, Viñuela J. 2001. Nest-box provisioning in a rural population of Eurasian Kestrels: breeding performance, nest predation and nest parasitism. Bird Study 48 : 236 244.
18. Fargallo JA, Laaksonen T, Korpimäki E, Wakamatsu K. 2007a. A melanin-based trait reflects environmental growth conditions of nestling male Eurasian kestrels. Evolutionary Ecology 21 : 157 171.
19. Fargallo JA, Laaksonen T, Pöyri V, Korpimäki E. 2002. Inter-sexual differences in the immune response of Eurasian kestrel nestlings under food shortage. Ecology Letters 5 : 95 101.
20. Fargallo JA, Martínez-Padilla J, Toledano-Díaz A, Santiago-Moreno J, Davila JA. 2007b. Sex and testosterone effects on growth, immunity and melanin coloration of nestling Eurasian kestrels. Journal of Animal Ecology 76 : 201 209.
21. Fitze PS, Richner H. 2002. Differential effects of a parasite on ornamental structures based on melanins and carotenoids. Behavioral Ecology 13 : 401 407.
22. Galvan I, Alonso-Alvárez C. 2008. An intracellular antioxidant determines de expression of a melanin-based signal in a bird. PlosOne 3 : e3335.
23. Gil D, Cobb JLS, Slater PJB. 2001. Song characteristics are age dependent in the willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus. Animal Behaviour 62 : 689 694.
24. Gil D, Lacroix A, Potti J. 2006. Within-clutch variation in yolk androgens in relation to female expression of a male ornament in pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca. Ardeola 53 : 307 315.
25. Griffith SC, Owens PF, Burke T. 1999. Environmental determination of a sexually selected trait. Nature 400 : 358 359.
26. Griffith SC, Parker TH, Olson VA. 2006. Melanin- versus carotenoid-based sexual signals: is the difference really so black and red? Animal Behaviour 71 : 749 763.
27. Griffith SC, Sheldon BC. 2001. Phenotypic plasticity in the expression of sexually selected traits: neglected components of variation. Animal Behaviour 61 : 987 993.
28. Griggio M, Valera F, Casas F, Pilastro A. 2005. Males prefer ornamented females: a field experiment of male choice in the rock sparrow. Animal Behaviour 69 : 1243 1250.
29. Hanssen SA, Folstad I, Erikstad KE. 2006. White plumage reflects individual quality in female eiders. Animal Behaviour 71 : 337 343.
30. Hegyi G, Garamszegi LZ, Eens M, Török J. 2008a. Female ornamentation and territorial conflict in collared flycatchers (Ficedula albicollis). Naturwissenchaften 95 : 993 996.
31. Hegyi G, Rosivalli B, Szöllosi E, Hargitai R, Eens M, Török J. 2007a. A role for female ornamentation in the facultatively polygynous mating system of collared flycatchers. Behavioral Ecology 18 : 1116 1122.
32. Hegyi G, Rosivalli B, Szöllosi E, Hargitai R, Eens M, Török J. 2008b. Phenotypic plasticity in a conspicuous female plumage trait: information content and mating patterns. Animal Behaviour 75 : 977 989.
33. Hegyi G, Szigeti B, Török J, Eens M. 2007b. Melanin, carotenoid and structural plumage ornaments: information content and role in great tits Parus major. Journal of Avian Biology 38 : 698 708.
34. Hegyi G, Török J, Garamszegi LZ, Rosivalli B, Szöllosi E, Hargitai R. 2007c. Dynamics of multiple sexual signals in relation to climatic conditions. Evolutionary Ecology Research 9 : 905 920.
35. Hill GE. 1993. Male mate choice and the evolution of female plumage coloration in the house finch. Evolution 47 : 1515 1525.
36. Hill GE. 2006. Environmental regulation of ornamental coloration. In : Hill GE, McGraw KJ, eds. Bird coloration, Vol. I. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 507 560.
37. Hurlbert SH. 1984. Pseudoreplication and the design of ecological field experiments. Ecology Monographs 54 : 187 211.
38. Hõrak P, Ots I, Vellau H, Spottiswoode C, Møller AP. 2001. Carotenoid-based plumage coloration reflects hemoparasite infection and local survival in breeding great tits. Oecologia 126 : 166 173.
39. Ito S, Wakamatsu K. 2003. Quantitative analysis of eumelanin and pheomelanin in humans, mice and other animals: a comparative review. Pigment Cell Research 16 : 523 531.
40. Jawor JM, Breitwisch R. 2003. Melanin ornaments, honesty, and sexual selection. Auk 120 : 249 265.
41. Jawor JM, Gray N, Beall SM, Breitwisch R. 2004. Multiple ornaments correlate with aspects of condition and behaviour in female northern cardinals, Cardinalis cardinalis. Animal Behaviour 67 : 875 882. (Pubitemid 38617313)
42. Kimball RT, Ligon JD. 1999. Evolution of avian plumage dichromatism from a proximate perspective. American Naturalist 154 : 182 193.
43. Komdeur J, Oorebeek M, van Overveld T, Cuthill IC. 2005. Mutual ornamentacion, age and reproductive performance in the European starling. Behavioral Ecology 16 : 805 817.
44. Korpimäki E, Wiehn J. 1998. Clutch size of kestrels: seasonal decline and experimental evidence for food limitation under fluctuating food conditions. Oikos 83 : 259 272.
45. Kraaijeveld K, Kraaijeveld-Smit FJL, Komdeur J. 2007. The evolution of mutual ornamentation. Animal Behaviour 74 : 657 677.
46. Lande R. 1980. Sexual dimorphism, sexual selection, and adaptation in polygenic characters. Evolution 34 : 292 305.
47. Lessells CM, Boag PT. 1987. Unrepeatable repeatabilites: a common mistake. Auk 104 : 116 121.
48. McGraw KJ. 2006. Mechanics of Melanin-Based Coloration. In : Hill GE, McGraw KJ, eds. Bird Coloration. Vol. I. Cambridge : Harvard University Press, 243 294.
49. McGraw KJ. 2007. Dietary mineral content influences the expression of melanin-based ornamental coloration. Behavioral Ecology 18 : 137 142.
50. McGraw KJ. 2008. An update on the honesty of melanin-based color signal in birds. Pigment Cell Melanoma Research 21 : 133 138.
51. Majerus MEN. 1998. Melanism, evolution in action. Oxford : Oxford University Press.
52. Mayr E. 1963. Animal species and evolution. Cambridge, MA : Harward University Press.
53. Morales J, Moreno J, Merino J, Sanz JJ, Tomas G, Arriero E, Lobato E, Martinez-De la Puente J. 2007. Female ornaments in the pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca: associations with age, health and reproductive success. Ibis 149 : 245 254.
54. Muma KE, Weatherhead PJ. 1989. Male traits expressed in females: direct or indirect sexual selection? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 25 : 23 31.
55. Murphy ME. 1994. Amino acid composition of avian eggs and tissues: nutricional implications. Journal of Avian Biology 25 : 27 38.
56. Palokangas P, Korpimäki E, Hakkarainen H, Huhta E, Tolonen P, Alatalo RV. 1994. Female kestrels gain reproductive success by choosing brightly ornamented males. Animal Behaviour 47 : 443 448.
57. Polo V, Veiga JP. 2006. Nest ornamentation by female spotless starlings in response to a male display: an experimental study. Journal of Animal Ecology 76 : 942 947.
58. Poston JP, Hasselquist D, Stewart IRK, Wesneat DF. 2005. Dietary amino acids influence plumage traits and immune responses of male house sparrows, Passer domesticus, but not as expected. Animal Behaviour 70 : 1171 1181.
59. Potti J. 1993. A male trait expressed in female pied flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca: the white forehead patch. Animal Behaviour 45 : 1245 1247.
60. Potti J, Merino S. 1996. Decreased levels of blood trypanosome infection correlate with female expression of a male secondary sexual trait: implications for sexual selection. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 263 : 1199 1204.
61. Roulin A. 1999. Nonrandom pairing by male barn owls Tyto alba with respect to a female plumage trait. Behavioral Ecology 10 : 688 695.
62. Roulin A. 2004. Proximate basis of the covariation between a melanin-based female ornament and offspring quality. Oecologia 140 : 668 675.
63. Roulin A. 2007. Melanin pigmentation negatively correlates with plumage preening effort in barn owls. Functional Ecology 21 : 264 271.
64. Roulin A, Almasi B, Pedruzzi AR, Ducrest A-L, Wakamatsu K, Miksik I, Blount J, Jenni-Eiermann S, Jenni L. 2008. Corticosterone mediates the condition-dependent of melanin-based coloration. Animal Behaviour 75 : 1351 1358.
65. Roulin A, Altwegg R. 2007. Breeding rate is associated with pheomelanism in male and with eumelanism in female barn owls. Behavioral Ecology 18 : 563 570.
66. Roulin A, Dijkstra C. 2003. Genetic and environmental components of variation in eumelanin and phaeomelanin sex-traits in the barn owl. Heredity 90 : 359 364.
67. Roulin A, Dijkstra C, Riols C, Ducrest A-L. 2001a. Female- and male-specific signals of quality in the barn owl. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 14 : 255 266.
68. Roulin A, Ducrest A-L, Balloux F, Dijkstra C, Riols C. 2003. A female melanin-ornament signals offspring fluctuating asymmetry in the barn owl. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 270 : 167 171.
69. Roulin A, Jungi TW, Pfister H, Dijkstra C. 2000. Female barn owls (Tyto alba) advertise good genes. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 267 : 937 941.
70. Roulin A, Richner H, Ducrest A-L. 1998. Genetic, environmental and condition-dependent effects on female and male ornamentation in the barn owl Tyto alba. Evolution 52 : 1451 1460.
71. Roulin A, Riols C, Dijkstra C, Ducrest AL. 2001b. Female plumage spottiness signals parasite resistance in the barn owl (Tyto alba). Behavioral Ecology 12 : 103 110.
72. Senar JC. 2006. Color displays as intrasexual signals of aggression and dominance. In : Hill GE, McGraw KJ, eds. Bird coloration, Vol. II. Cambridge, MA : Harvard University Press, 87 136.
73. Senar JC, Quesada J. 2006. Absolute and relative signals: a comparison between melanin- and carotenoid-based patches. Behaviour 143 : 589 595.
74. Siefferman L, Hill GE. 2005. Evidence for sexual selection on structural plumage coloration in female eastern bluebirds (Sialis sialis). Evolution 59 : 1819 1828.
75. Szigeti B, Török J, Hegyi G, Rosivall B, Hargitai R, Szollosi E, Michl G. 2007. Egg quality and parental ornamentation in the blue tit. Journal of Avian Biology 38 : 105 112.
76. Tella JL, Forero MG, Donázar JA, Hiraldo F. 1997. Is the expression of male traits in female lesser kestrels related to sexual selection? Ethology 103 : 72 81.
77. Török J, Hegyi G, Garamszegi LZ. 2003. Depigmented wing patch size is a condition-dependant indicator of viability in male collared flycatchers. Behavioral Ecology 14 : 383 388.
78. Torres R, Velando A. 2005. Male preference for female foot colour in the socially monogamous blue-footed booby, Sula nebouxii. Animal Behaviour 69 : 59 65.
79. Veiga JP, Puerta M. 1996. Nutritional constraints determine the expression of a sexual trait in the house sparrow, Passer domesticus. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B, Biological Sciences 263 : 229 234.
80. Velando A, Lessels CM, Marquez JC. 2001. The function of female and male ornaments in the Inca tern: evidence of links between ornament expression and both adult condition and reproductive performance. Journal of Avian Biology 32 : 311 318.
81. Vergara P, Fargallo JA. 2007. Delayed plumage maturation in Eurasian kestrels: female mimicry, subordination signalling or both? Animal Behaviour 74 : 1505 1513.
82. Vergara P, Fargallo JA. 2008. Sex, melanic colouration and sibling competition during the post-fledging dependence period. Behavioral Ecology 19 : 847 853.
83. Village A. 1990. The kestrel. London : T & AD Poyser
84. Wiehn J, Korpimäki E, Bildstein KL, Sorjonen J. 1997. Mate choice and reproductive success in the American kestrel: a role for blood parasites? Ethology 103 : 304 317.
85. Wolff GL. 2003. Regulation of yellow pigment formation in mice: a historical perspective. Pigment Cell Research 16 : 2 15.
86. Zahavi A. 1975. Mate selection - a selection for a handicap. Journal of Theoretical Biology 53 : 205 214.