Evolution of patterned plumage as a sexual signal in estrildid finches

Masayo Soma and László Zsolt Garamszegi

Behavioral Ecology, 2018, vol. 29, issue 3, 676-685

Abstract: Animals are often covered with stripy or dotty patterns on their body surface, which can help them to hide or to signal. Estrildid finches are especially rich in species with plumage patterns but their geometric features show great variations. Our comparative study revealed that conspicuous plumage patterns are possessed by species with an elaborate courtship dance, suggesting that plumage patterns in estrildid finches work as sexual signals in both sexes.

Keywords: estrildid finch; phylogenetic comparison; plumage color pattern; sexual signal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
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