Early life disadvantage strengthens flight performance trade-offs in European starlings, Sturnus vulgaris.

ABSTRACT: Developmental stress has been shown to affect adult flight performance in birds, with both negative and positive effects reported in the literature. Previous studies have used developmental manipulations that had substantial effects on patterns of growth. They have also examined mean levels of flight performance per individual, rather than investigating how developmental stress might alter trade-offs between different components of flight performance. We recorded multiple components of escape flight performance in 20 adult European starlings previously subjected to a manipulation likely to have altered levels of developmental stress. Siblings had been cross-fostered to nests where they were either slightly larger (advantaged treatment) or slightly smaller (disadvantaged treatment) than the

SUBMITTER: O'Hagan D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4370370 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature