A description of unique fluorescent yellow pigments in penguin feathers
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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 […]
The ubiquity of avian ultraviolet plumage reflectance
Although several bird species have been shown to reflect ultraviolet (UV) light from their plumages, the incidence of UV reflectance, and therefore the potential for UV or UV-enhanced signals, across the avian tree of life is not known. In this study, we collected reflectance data from the plumages of 312 bird species representing 142 families. […]
Causation and influence of environmental enrichment on feather picking of the crimson-bellied conure (Pyrrhura perlata perlata)
Abstract 10.1002/(SICI)1098-2361(1997)16:23.3.CO;2-M This study examined the effect of environmental enrichment on feather picking in the crimson-bellied conure Pyrrhura perlata perlata. A total of 10 conures was observed, 8 of which showed minor to severe plumage problems. In a pre-enrichment period the conures were observed without changes in the environment to assess their social behavior and […]
Reduction in feather pecking and improvement of feather condition with the presentation of a string device to chickens
Feather pecking remains a serious problem in commercial egg production. It has been argued that feather pecking occurs as a result of misdirected pecking, so a possible solution would be to increase the likelihood that such pecking was targeted at another object in the environment rather than to the feathers of conspecifics. Chickens of various […]
Studies on UV reflection in feathers of some 1000 bird species: are UV peaks in feathers correlated with violet-sensitive and ultraviolet-sensitive cones?
Nine hundred and sixty-eight bird species, covering all orders, were studied in search of distinctive ultraviolet reflections. All species in the following orders were completely surveyed: Struthioniformes, Tinamiformes, Craciformes, Turniciformes, Galbuliformes, Upupiformes, Coliiformes, Apodiformes and Musophagiformes. The coloured plumage regions in particular exhibited high proportions of UV-reflecting feathers. Bird orders with species which are believed […]
Ultraviolet vision in birds: a review
The ability to perceive the near ultraviolet part of the light spectrum (the wavelength 320–400 nm) has been detected in many bird species. This ability is an important bird sense. The ecological importance of UV perception has been studied mainly in the context of intra- and inter-sexual signalling, common species communi-cation and also in foraging. […]