Abstract:Trait polymorphisms are a perennially popular topic of study in ecology and evolutionary biology. Plumage polymorphisms occur broadly in birds, with a particularly high rate among the raptors. The regularity of this heritable, melanin-based trait in raptors has prompted research into its potential connections to aspects of life history such as immune response, foraging ecology, and mating systems. Because raptors are a non-monophyletic grouping of multiple orders, they can further be leveraged to explore the e… Show more
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