Different colors reveal different information: how nutritional stress affects the expression of melanin- and structurally based ornamental plumage
Avian plumage colors have emerged recently as model systems for investigating the types of information that can be signaled by showy sexual displays in animals. In many species, the brightness of carotenoid-based plumage reflects the health and condition of individuals and is used in mate selection. The information contained in melanin-based and structurally based ornamental […]
Early experience affects producer-scrounger foraging tendencies in the house sparrow
Group foragers can use a [`]producer’ tactic which involves searching for food or a [`]scrounger’ tactic which involves joining others who have discovered food. While these alternative behaviours are well documented, it is not clear to what extent an individual’s tendency to forage independently or to follow others is under genetic control or rather is […]