Camouflage efficiency in a colour-polymorphic predator is dependent on environmental variation and snow presence in the wild.

ABSTRACT: Colour polymorphism can be maintained by colour morph-specific benefits across environmental conditions. Currently, the amount and the duration of snow cover during winter decrease especially in northern latitudes, which can alter the potential for camouflage of animals with light and dark morphs. Tawny owls, Strix aluco, are colour-polymorphic avian predators with dark (brown) and light (grey) colour morphs, where the grey morph is presumed to enjoy camouflage benefits under snowy conditions. We studied the camouflage potential of morphs in two tawny owls potential using passerines' probability to mob in the wild during winter with and without snow. For comparison with other seasons, we also repeated the experiment during spring and autumn. We found that grey tawny owls have a lowe

SUBMITTER: Perrault C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10709760 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature