Informace o publikaci
Feather growth comparison: different feather investment in tropical and temperate songbirds
| Autoři | |
|---|---|
| Rok publikování | 2024 |
| Druh | Konferenční abstrakty |
| Citace | |
| Popis | The bird feather is a unique structure with fascinating properties, fulfilling thermoregulatory, signalling and movement functions. Its quality and good condition are crucial for the survival of each individual, which is reflected not only in its daily maintenance, but also in the annual renewal of all feathers (moulting). Although birds represent a model group for studying latitudinal changes in life strategies and pace of life, the study of feather investment has been neglected. This study examines differences in feather investment of songbirds across two distinct environments: tropical Africa (Cameroon) and temperate central Europe (Czech Republic). Within this latitudinal contrast, growth rates of tail and wing feathers were compared in a total of 75 tropical and 57 temperate species , considering various factors such as migration strategies, body mass, and other relevant aspects. The results of the study reveal distinct patterns of investment in the wing and tail feathers between tropical and temperate species, independent of phylogenetic relatedness. Tropical birds show faster growth of the wing feathers and slower growth of the tail feathers than temperate birds. Within groups, a positive correlation was found between the growth rate of the wing and tail feathers. In agreement with our previous study on tail feathers, the growth rate of the wing feathers was not influenced by the environment of the moulting site, as the same growth rate of the wing feathers was shared by temperate residents and long-distance migrants moulting in the tropics. |