Morphometric estimates of body condition are widely used by ornithologists, but which
estimates work best is a matter of debate. We review morphometric approaches (body mass …

Body condition is assumed to influence an animal's health and fitness. Various non‐
destructive methods based on body mass and a measure of body length have been used as …

Body condition is a major concept in ecology addressed in countless studies, and a variety
of non‐destructive methods are used to estimate the condition of individuals based on the …

Biologists have developed a wide range of morphological, biochemical and physiological
metrics to assess the health and, in particular, the energetic status of individual animals …

Major life history traits, such as fecundity and survival, have been consistently demonstrated
to covary positively in nature, some individuals having more resources than others to …

The survival probability of birds during the juvenile period, between the end of parental care
and adulthood, is highly variable and has a major effect on population dynamics and …

We conducted experimental feeding trials with larval and juvenile Bullfrogs (Lithobates
catesbeianus) and Rough-skinned Newts (Taricha granulosa) to assess the accuracy of the …

Orientation of nests can influence nest microclimate, particularly temperature. However, few
investigators have examined orientation preference and microclimate simultaneously. We …

Summary 1 Body condition (defined as the relative amount of energy reserves in the body) is
an animal trait with strong ecological implications. In some animal taxa (eg arthropods), the …

Measures of body condition, immune function, and hematological health are widely used in
ecological studies of vertebrate populations, predicated on the assumption that these traits …