Pheomelanin-based colouration is correlated with indices of flying strategies in the Barn Owl

Motti Charter; Yossi Leshem; Ido Izhaki; Alexandre Roulin

doi:10.1007/s10336-014-1129-6

Pheomelanin-based colouration is correlated with indices of flying strategies in the Barn Owl

Motti Charter, Yossi Leshem, Ido Izhaki, Alexandre Roulin

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Resource polymorphism refers to individuals from the same population foraging in alternative habitats or on alternative food. Food specialization can be associated with adaptations such as colour polymorphism, with pale and dark colours conferring differential camouflage in different habitats. Pale and dark-reddish pheomelanic Barn Owls (Tyto alba) forage on different prey species in closed and open habitats, respectively. We show here that darker-reddish owls have heavier stomach content when found dead, and their 5th secondary wing feather is more deeply anchored inside the integument. These correlations suggest that their feathers bend less when flying, and that darker-reddish Barn Owls are able sustain more intense flying than their paler conspecifics.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	309-312
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Ornithology
Volume	156
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-014-1129-6
State	Published - 1 Jan 2015

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgments We thank Kobi Meyrom, Amir Ezer, and Shay Halevi for assistance in collection carcasses and Naomi Paz for editorial assistance. The study was financed by the Swiss National Science and Addax-Oryx Foundations.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2014, Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V.

Keywords

Colour polymorphism
Feather
Flying
Foraging
Melanin
Stomach content

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Animal Science and Zoology

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10.1007/s10336-014-1129-6

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title = "Pheomelanin-based colouration is correlated with indices of flying strategies in the Barn Owl",

abstract = "Resource polymorphism refers to individuals from the same population foraging in alternative habitats or on alternative food. Food specialization can be associated with adaptations such as colour polymorphism, with pale and dark colours conferring differential camouflage in different habitats. Pale and dark-reddish pheomelanic Barn Owls (Tyto alba) forage on different prey species in closed and open habitats, respectively. We show here that darker-reddish owls have heavier stomach content when found dead, and their 5th secondary wing feather is more deeply anchored inside the integument. These correlations suggest that their feathers bend less when flying, and that darker-reddish Barn Owls are able sustain more intense flying than their paler conspecifics.",

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author = "Motti Charter and Yossi Leshem and Ido Izhaki and Alexandre Roulin",

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AU - Charter, Motti

AU - Leshem, Yossi

AU - Izhaki, Ido

AU - Roulin, Alexandre

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgments We thank Kobi Meyrom, Amir Ezer, and Shay Halevi for assistance in collection carcasses and Naomi Paz for editorial assistance. The study was financed by the Swiss National Science and Addax-Oryx Foundations. Publisher Copyright: © 2014, Dt. Ornithologen-Gesellschaft e.V.

PY - 2015/1/1

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N2 - Resource polymorphism refers to individuals from the same population foraging in alternative habitats or on alternative food. Food specialization can be associated with adaptations such as colour polymorphism, with pale and dark colours conferring differential camouflage in different habitats. Pale and dark-reddish pheomelanic Barn Owls (Tyto alba) forage on different prey species in closed and open habitats, respectively. We show here that darker-reddish owls have heavier stomach content when found dead, and their 5th secondary wing feather is more deeply anchored inside the integument. These correlations suggest that their feathers bend less when flying, and that darker-reddish Barn Owls are able sustain more intense flying than their paler conspecifics.

AB - Resource polymorphism refers to individuals from the same population foraging in alternative habitats or on alternative food. Food specialization can be associated with adaptations such as colour polymorphism, with pale and dark colours conferring differential camouflage in different habitats. Pale and dark-reddish pheomelanic Barn Owls (Tyto alba) forage on different prey species in closed and open habitats, respectively. We show here that darker-reddish owls have heavier stomach content when found dead, and their 5th secondary wing feather is more deeply anchored inside the integument. These correlations suggest that their feathers bend less when flying, and that darker-reddish Barn Owls are able sustain more intense flying than their paler conspecifics.

KW - Colour polymorphism

KW - Feather

KW - Flying

KW - Foraging

KW - Melanin

KW - Stomach content

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Pheomelanin-based colouration is correlated with indices of flying strategies in the Barn Owl

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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