Plumage pigmentation patterns of diurnal raptors in relation to colour ornamentation and ecology

Gomes, Antony; Silva, Renato; Cardoso, Gonçalo C.

doi:10.1007/s10336-018-1550-3

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 63 publications

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“…Animal markings may serve a variety of functions, including crypsis, communication and thermoregulation [1–4]. They can thus be affected by multiple, often opposing selective forces, typically representing trade-offs between different biotic and abiotic pressures [4–6]. Local conditions can affect the relative importance of these selective forces, potentially resulting in regional colour variation [4,7–10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Malar stripe size and prominence in peregrine falcons vary positively with solar radiation: support for the solar glare hypothesis

2021

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Many falcons ( Falco spp.) exhibit a distinct dark plumage patch below the eye, termed the malar stripe. This stripe is hypothesized to reduce the amount of solar glare reflected into the eyes while foraging, thereby increasing hunting efficiency in bright conditions. Here, we use a novel, global-scale correlative approach to test this ‘solar glare hypothesis' in peregrine falcons ( Falco peregrinus ), the most widespread falcon species, using web-sourced photographs from across the species' global range. We found that the size and prominence of the malar stripe were positively associated with average annual solar radiation, but not with other environmental variables, such as temperature and rainfall. Our results provide the first published evidence for the hypothesis that this plumage feature functions to reduce the amount of solar glare reflected into the falcon's eyes, thereby improving the ability to pinpoint and target agile prey in bright conditions.

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