1. Plumage coloration, body condition and immunological status in Yellow-billed Cardinals (Paroaria capitata)
- Author
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D. Gressler, Raphael Igor Dias, Jeffrey A. Bell, Lilian T. Manica, and Alan Fecchio
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Ecology ,food and beverages ,Biology ,medicine.disease ,biology.organism_classification ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Parasite load ,010605 ornithology ,Melanin ,chemistry ,Plumage ,Avian malaria ,Immunological status ,medicine ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Haemoproteus ,Paroaria capitata ,Carotenoid ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics - Abstract
Plumage coloration deriving from carotenoid and melanin pigments can be a quality signal in birds, and can be under conspecific inspection in social interactions. For example, parasite load and immune system status can be inferred through plumage color intensity, and can influence the choice of sexual partners. Here, we evaluated two plumage ornaments in the Yellow-billed Cardinal [Paroaria capitata (d’Orbigny & Lafresnaye 1837)]: the carotenoid-based coloration of the cap and the melanin-based coloration of the bib. We evaluated whether these ornaments were related to blood parasite burden, immunological status and body condition, and whether they could reveal individual sex and age. Cardinals were mist-netted in a Brazilian wetland, and 12 individuals were infected with malaria parasites. Both carotenoid and melanin colorations were related to age, but only carotenoids reflected immunological status. Adult cardinals presented redder caps and darker bibs in comparison to juveniles, and redder caps were a...
- Published
- 2015