Does the expression of a male plumage trait in female Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) signal individual quality?

A small percentage (4.5%) of females Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) observed breeding in southern Spain expressed a plumage trait characteristic of males: the forecrown (frontal) black bar. The expression of this male trait may be age-related, and reversible, i.e., within individuals it m...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: Amat, Juan A.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2005
País:España
Institución:Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)
Repositorio:DIGITAL.CSIC. Repositorio Institucional del CSIC
OAI Identifier:oai:digital.csic.es:10261/61872
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/61872
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:A small percentage (4.5%) of females Kentish plovers (Charadrius alexandrinus) observed breeding in southern Spain expressed a plumage trait characteristic of males: the forecrown (frontal) black bar. The expression of this male trait may be age-related, and reversible, i.e., within individuals it may be present in some years but not in other years. Females with frontal bars were not in better condition and nor did they initiate breeding earlier than in years when they lacked frontal bars. Nevertheless, when females had frontal bars they laid larger eggs. I suggest that the frontal bar on females could be an epiphenomenon resulting from hormonal imbalances of females as they age. © Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V. 2005.

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