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 …

The first comprehensive review of all aspects of the biology of moult, drawing information
from across the literature and in all birds, from penguins to passerines. Feathers are …

The mechanisms underlying parasite-altered host behavior and fitness remain largely
unanswered. The purpose of this review is to provide a perspective that has not been fully …

Innovative behaviors such as exploiting novel food sources can grant significant fitness
benefits for animals, yet little is known about the mechanisms driving such phenomena, and …

Parasites have profound fitness effects on their hosts, yet these are often sub-lethal, making
them difficult to understand and quantify. A principal sub-lethal mechanism that reduces …

The functional significance of intra‐and interspecific structural variations in the flight feathers
of birds is poorly understood. Here, a phylogenetic comparative analysis of four structural …

Avian malaria and related haemosporidian parasites can negatively impact fitness in many
songbirds. Research on the malaria infection and its physiological costs on their avian hosts …

Defence mechanisms against parasites and pathogens are some of the most elaborate
biological systems in animals. The oily secretion of the avian uropygial gland has been …

Body feathers ensure both waterproofing and insulation in waterbirds, but how natural
variation in the morphological properties of these appendages relates to environmental …

Recent data suggest that, in animals living in social groups, stress-induced changes in
behavior have the potential to act as a source of information, so that stressed individuals …