The skin is a barrier between the internal and external environment of an organism.
Depending on the species, it participates in multiple functions. The skin is the organ that …

The uropygial gland is a holocrine complex exclusive to birds that produces an oleaginous
secretion (preen oil) whose function is still debated. Herein, I examine critically the evidence …

Although a growing body of evidence supports that olfaction based on chemical compounds
emitted by birds may play a role in individual recognition, the possible role of chemical cues …

Symbiotic microbes that inhabit animal scent glands can produce volatile compounds used
as chemical signals by the host animal. Though several studies have demonstrated …

It was long thought that the colour of bird feathers does not change after plumage moult.
However, there is increasing evidence that the colour of feathers may change due to …

There is increasing evidence that birds use chemical cues in different contexts, and this is
changing the traditional view that birds are the only largely olfaction-free vertebrates. We …

The preen gland is a holocrine sebaceous gland of the avian integument which produces an
oily secretion that is spread on the plumage during preening. It has been suggested that …

Simple Summary Vector-borne diseases (VBDs)(eg, malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever)
account for 17% of the estimated global burden of all infectious diseases. They are …

Ornamental bill color is postulated to function as a condition‐dependent signal of individual
quality in a variety of taxonomically distant bird families. Most red, orange, and yellow bill …

Cosmetic colourations of animals have been mainly studied in scenarios of sexual selection,
while there has been no assessment of the partial contribution of cosmetics to the final …