Extent and symmetry of post-juvenile moult as predictors of future performance in Greenfinch Carduelis chloris

Autor: Tomasz Iciek, Piotr Minias
Rok vydání: 2012
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Ornithology. 154:465-468
ISSN: 2193-7206
2193-7192
DOI: 10.1007/s10336-012-0911-6
Popis: The extent of post-juvenile moult in passerines is highly variable, but the causes and consequences of such variability remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that the extent and symmetry of post-juvenile moult of Greenfinches Carduelis chloris may be used as reliable predictors of their winter/spring body condition. We found a quadratic relationship between moult extent and the body mass/wing length ratio during the winter/spring period. We also found that Greenfinches with higher degree of moult symmetry had greater winter/spring fat reserves. Our results suggest that the extent and symmetry of post-juvenile moult may be considered as adaptive traits with certain fitness consequences.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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