Evolutionary predictors of the specific colors of birds

K Delhey, M Valcu, C Muck, J Dale… - Proceedings of the …, 2023‏ - pnas.org
Animal coloration is one of the most conspicuous aspects of human-perceived organismal
diversity, yet also one of the least understood. In particular, explaining why species have …

[HTML][HTML] Wildlife trade targets colorful birds and threatens the aesthetic value of nature

RA Senior, BF Oliveira, J Dale, BR Scheffers - Current Biology, 2022‏ - cell.com
A key component of nature's contribution to people is aesthetic value. 1, 2 Charismatic
species rally public support and bolster conservation efforts. 3, 4 However, an insidious …

A critique of the use of colour lightness in animal studies

VM Lopez, F Datto-Liberato, SN Gorb… - Biological Journal of …, 2024‏ - academic.oup.com
Colour lightness has received considerable attention owing to its diverse functional aspects,
such as in thermoregulation, pathogen resistance, and photoprotection. However, the …

Ecological and geographical overlap drive plumage evolution and mimicry in woodpeckers

ET Miller, GM Leighton, BG Freeman, AC Lees… - Nature …, 2019‏ - nature.com
Organismal appearances are shaped by selection from both biotic and abiotic drivers. For
example, Gloger's rule describes the pervasive pattern that more pigmented populations are …

Urbanization alters the geographic patterns of passerine plumage color in China

J Yu, H Duan, B Zhang, L Zhang, J He - Landscape and Urban Planning, 2024‏ - Elsevier
Urbanization has altered natural landscapes and serves as an environmental filter that
selects species with specific traits. Coloration is an important trait associated with biotic …

Predicting biotic responses to future climate warming with classic ecogeographic rules

L Tian, MJ Benton - Current Biology, 2020‏ - cell.com
Models for future environmental change all involve global warming, whether slow or fast.
Predicting how plants and animals will respond to such warming can be aided by using …

The macroecology of extra‐pair paternity in birds

CM Valcu, M Valcu, B Kempenaers - Molecular Ecology, 2021‏ - Wiley Online Library
Extra‐pair paternity (EPP) is a key aspect of the mating behaviour of birds and its frequency
varies widely among populations and species. Several hypotheses predict patterns of …

Color lightness of velvet ants (Hymenoptera: Mutillidae) follows an environmental gradient

VM Lopez, TAA Tosta, GG da Silva… - Journal of Thermal …, 2021‏ - Elsevier
Color traits are highly influenced by environmental conditions along the distributional range
of many species. Studies on the variation of animal coloration across different geographic …

Color as an interspecific badge of status: A comparative test

HL Kenyon, PR Martin - The American Naturalist, 2023‏ - journals.uchicago.edu
Animals as diverse as cephalopods, insects, fish, and mammals signal social dominance to
conspecifics to avoid costly fights. Even though between-species fights may be equally …

Evolutionary drivers of seasonal plumage colours: colour change by moult correlates with sexual selection, predation risk and seasonality across passerines

A McQueen, B Kempenaers, J Dale, M Valcu… - Ecology …, 2019‏ - Wiley Online Library
Some birds undergo seasonal colour change by moulting twice each year, typically
alternating between a cryptic, non‐breeding plumage and a conspicuous, breeding …