The carotenoid-continuum: carotenoid-based plumage ranges from conspicuous to cryptic and back again

Kaspar Delhey; Mark Roberts; Anne Peters

doi:10.1186/1472-6785-10-13

The carotenoid-continuum: carotenoid-based plumage ranges from conspicuous to cryptic and back again

Kaspar Delhey, Mark Roberts, Anne Peters

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review

25 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Carotenoids are frequently used by birds to colour their plumage with green, yellow, orange or red hues, and carotenoid-based colours are considered honest signals of quality, although they may have other functions, such as crypsis. It is usually assumed that red through yellow colours have a signalling function while green is cryptic. Here we challenge this notion using the yellow and green colouration of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), great tits (Parus major) and greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) as a model.

Original language	English
Article number	13
Number of pages	13
Journal	BMC Ecology
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6785-10-13
Publication status	Published - 2010
Externally published	Yes

Access to Document

10.1186/1472-6785-10-13

Cite this

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abstract = "Carotenoids are frequently used by birds to colour their plumage with green, yellow, orange or red hues, and carotenoid-based colours are considered honest signals of quality, although they may have other functions, such as crypsis. It is usually assumed that red through yellow colours have a signalling function while green is cryptic. Here we challenge this notion using the yellow and green colouration of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), great tits (Parus major) and greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) as a model.",

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AB - Carotenoids are frequently used by birds to colour their plumage with green, yellow, orange or red hues, and carotenoid-based colours are considered honest signals of quality, although they may have other functions, such as crypsis. It is usually assumed that red through yellow colours have a signalling function while green is cryptic. Here we challenge this notion using the yellow and green colouration of blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), great tits (Parus major) and greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) as a model.

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