Phaeomelanin matters: Redness associates with inter-individual differences in behaviour and feather corticosterone in male scops owls (Otus scops).

摘要: Individuals within populations often show consistent variation in behavioural and physiological traits which are frequently inter-correlated, potentially leading to phenotypic integration. Understanding the mechanisms behind such integration is a key task evolutionary ecology, melanin based colouration has been suggested play pivotal role. In birds, most of plumage colour determined by two types melanin, eumelanin phaeomelanin, but role phaeomelanin avian phenotype barely investigated. Here, we test for covariation between phaeomelanin-based colouration, (i.e. nest territoriality, aggressiveness, breath rate parental behaviour) corticosterone feathers polymorphic scops owl Otus scops, bird species more phaeomelanic individuals display reddish colourations. males, observed that males took longer return their nests showed higher levels feather CORT than greyish ones. Behaviour were not associated females. The found associations redness, behaviour females, might suggest existence sex-specific integrated owls.