2024-03-28T13:20:29Zhttp://digital.csic.es/dspace-oai/requestoai:digital.csic.es:10261/596322019-08-07T07:21:42Zcom_10261_13com_10261_8col_10261_266
Brightness variability in the white badge of the eagle owl Bubo bubo
Penteriani, Vincenzo
Alonso-Álvarez, Carlos
Delgado, María del Mar
Sergio, Fabrizio
Ferrer, Miguel
The application of modern spectrometry to the study of avian colour variability has revealed ignored patterns of colour variation such as male-biased sexual dichromatism and seasonal variability in the plumage. However, the variation in the achromatic property of such traits, that is in the total light reflectance of the spectrum (i.e., brightness), has commonly been overlooked. The evolution of signals based on brightness should be favoured in those species that are active when light is scarce, i.e. at dawn and dusk. The eagle owl Bubo bubo is monogamous and apparently monomorphic in plumage-coloration. In this species, sexual and territorial call behaviour is mainly performed at dawn and dusk, during which a white patch on the throat is repeatedly exposed at each call. We measured the total light reflectance of the feathers of this badge in 39 eagle owl specimens from museum collections. We found seasonal variability and sexual dichromatism in the brightness of the plumage badge. The total reflectance of this trait peaked during the territorial-mating period. Moreover, females showed higher values of brightness than males, in agreement with the reversed body size dimorphism present in this and many other raptor species. Finally, female but not male body size was positively correlated with white badge reflectance. © Journal of Avian Biology.
2012-11-07T08:55:05Z
2012-11-07T08:55:05Z
2006
2012-11-07T08:55:05Z
artículo
Journal of Avian Biology 37: 110- 116 (2006)
http://hdl.handle.net/10261/59632
10.1111/j.0908-8857.2006.03569.x
eng
openAccess
Blackwell Publishing