An unexpected age-related pattern in feather growth contributes to age-dependent ornament expression in a passerine bird

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F68081766%3A_____%2F22%3A00558109" target="_blank" >RIV/68081766:_____/22:00558109 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216208:11310/22:10451685 RIV/00216224:14310/22:00129278

Result on the web

<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-022-01990-5" target="_blank" >https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10336-022-01990-5</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10336-022-01990-5" target="_blank" >10.1007/s10336-022-01990-5</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

An unexpected age-related pattern in feather growth contributes to age-dependent ornament expression in a passerine bird

Original language description

The length of the ornamental tail rectrices has been shown to be an important condition-dependent sexually selected trait in various bird species. Similarly, the shape and depth of the tail fork may represent a costly sexual signal that enhances individual attractiveness but compromises flight manoeuvrability. Avian flight feathers, including ornamental rectrices, generally become longer in successive years. In this study, we analysed age and sex differences in the length of central tail feathers and the depth of the tail fork in 141 Barn Swallows observed repeatedly over consecutive years. As expected, tail fork depth was mainly determined by the length of the outer ornamental tail streamers and to some extent to the non-ornamental central feathers, with individuals with deeper forks having longer outer streamers and shorter central tail feathers. Central tail feathers were sexually dimorphic and shorter in males than females. We also found an unexpected pattern of shortening of central tail feathers with increasing age that contributed to an age-related increase in tail fork depth in both sexes. The shortening of central tail feathers was achieved by the reduction of daily feather growth rates and not by feather abrasion. To the best of our knowledge, our study provides the first evidence of age-related continuous shortening of flight feathers in an avian species and suggests a possible sexual role of central tail feather length in Barn Swallows.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

10615 - Ornithology

Project

Result was created during the realization of more than one project. More information in the Projects tab.

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2022

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Journal of Ornithology

ISSN

2193-7192

e-ISSN

2193-7206

Volume of the periodical

163

Issue of the periodical within the volume

4

Country of publishing house

DE - GERMANY

Number of pages

10

Pages from-to

987-996

UT code for WoS article

000803575300001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85130690017