Plumage brightness predicts non-breeding season territory quality in a long-distance migratory songbird, the American redstartSetophaga ruticilla

摘要: Many species of birds exhibit brilliant ornamental plumage, yet most research on the function and evolution plumage has been confined to breeding season. In American redstart Setophaga ruticilla, a long-distance Neotropical-Nearctic migratory bird, acquisition winter territory in high-quality habitat advances spring departure subsequent arrival areas, increases reproductive success annual survival. Here, we show that males holding territories high-quality, black mangrove habitats Jamaica have brighter yellow-orange tail feathers than occupying poor-quality second-growth scrub habitats. Moreover, arriving grounds from higher-quality (inferred by stable-carbon isotopes) also had feathers. Because behavioral dominance plays an important role territories, brightness may be related fighting ability maintenance habitat. These results highlight need for further relationships between coloration, behavior, ecology over-wintering birds.