Abstract:Camouflage is a widespread strategy to increase survival. The plumage of precocial chicks often contains elements of disruptive colouration and background matching to enhance concealment. Chick plumage also features fringed feathers as appendages that may contribute to camouflage. Here, we examine whether and how neoptile feathers conceal the outline of chicks. We first conducted a digital experiment to test two potential mechanisms for outline diffusion through appendages: 1) edge intensity reduction and 2) l… Show more
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