Ecological effects on female bill colour explain plastic sexual dichromatism in a mutually-ornamented bird.

ABSTRACT: Sex differences in ornamentation are common and, in species with conventional sex roles, are generally thought of as stable, due to stronger sexual selection on males. Yet, especially in gregarious species, ornaments can also have non-sexual social functions, raising the possibility that observed sex differences in ornamentation are plastic. For example, females may invest in costly ornamentation more plastically, to protect body and reproductive ability in more adverse ecological conditions. We tested this hypothesis with experimental work on the mutually-ornamented common waxbill (Estrilda astrild), supplementing their diets either with pigmentary (lutein, a carotenoid) or non-pigmentary (vitamin E) antioxidants, or alleviating winter cold temperature. We found that both lutein and vitam

SUBMITTER: Freitas R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8298529 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature