The Adaptive Significances of Intraspecific Trends of Variation in Wing Length and Body Size Among Bird Species

Hamilton, Terrell H.

doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1961.tb03142.x

Cited by 116 publications

(79 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…Longer tails are posited to allow for better maneuverability of predatory birds that pursue prey in relatively dense forested habitats (hamilton 1961, Wattel 1973, Mueller et al 1981. Our results seem to concur with this principle.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Comparative Morphology of Northern Populations of Breeding Cooper's Hawks

Rosenfield

Bielefeldt

et al. 2010

Condor

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Resumen. Pocos estudios han caracterizado la variación intraespecífica en la morfología de halcones de áreas arboladas del género Accipiter a una escala geográfica amplia. Entre 1999 y 2007, investigamos la variación morfológica en muestras grandes de individuos vivos de la especie A. cooperii que se encontraban anidando en cuatro áreas de estudio: bosques de coníferas alrededor de Victoria, British Columbia, Canadá; bosques caducifolios aislados en medio de praderas de pastos cortos en el noroeste de North Dakota; poblados y bosques caducifolios rurales a lo largo de la frontera entre North Dakota y Minnesota; y paisajes mixtos urbanos y rurales, caducifolios y de coníferas en Wisconsin. Estos sitios abarcan 2660 m a través de la parte norte del área de distribución reproductiva de la especie. Medimos la masa corporal (i.e., el tamaño), la cuerda alar, la longitud de la cola, el diámetro del tarso, la longitud del hálux y la longitud del culmen de adultos reproductivos, y encontramos que existe variación significativa y clinal en la masa corporal (o el tamaño). Las aves más pequeñas y con menor dimorfismo sexual se encontraron en British Columbia y en el oeste de North Dakota, aves más grandes a lo largo de la frontera entre North Dakota y Minnesota y las más grandes de todas en Wisconsin. Varios rasgos adicionales variaron significativamente tras utilizar la masa como una covariable. La variación entre sitios de estudio en índices promedio de dimorfismo sexual en el tamaño fue despreciable y no siginificativa. Especulamos que las diferencias morfológicas que encontramos son, en parte, el resultado del aislamiento geográfico, debido a que la dieta, el comportamiento migratorio y las características estructurales de los ambientes de anidación varían entre tipos de paisaje.Abstract. few studies at a broad geographical scale have characterized intraspecific variation in morphology of woodland hawks in the genus Accipiter. from 1999 to 2007 we investigated morphological variation in large samples of live Cooper's hawks (A. cooperii) nesting in four study areas: coniferous woodland around Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, isolated deciduous woodlands in short-grass prairies of northwestern North Dakota, towns and rural deciduous woodlands along the border of North Dakota and Minnesota, and urban and rural mixed deciduous and coniferous landscapes of Wisconsin. These sites span 2660 km across the northern part of the species' breeding range. We measured body mass (i.e., size), wing chord, tail length, tarsus diameter, hallux length, and culmen length of breeding adults, finding significant and clinal variation in body mass (or size). The smallest and most similar-sized birds occurred in British Columbia and western North Dakota, larger birds along the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, and the largest birds in Wisconsin. Several other characters varied significantly when mass was used as a covariate. Variation by study site in mean indices of sexual size dimorphism was negligible and not significant. We spec...

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 88%

Comparative Morphology of Northern Populations of Breeding Cooper's Hawks

Rosenfield

Bielefeldt

et al. 2010

Condor

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“…Thus, as an indicator of overall size of the birds, wing length conforms to Bergmann's ecogeographic rule with larger size in colder climates. However, this rule may be modified by relative heat loss by evaporation (James 1970), and by relative body water loss by evaporation (Hamilton 1958), resulting in larger size of birds in dryer climates (Ripley 1950 form of the vegetation may affect wing length independent of body size (Davis 1951;Pitelka 1951;Hamilton 1961;Rand 1961). More extensive flights and, thus, greater use of wings may be required to escape predators in more open habitats such as grasslands and deserts.…”

Section: Discussion Of All Wing Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Linsdale (1938) suggested that high winds in open country contribute to longer wings in the same way that flying great distances does. Also, populations with long migrations may require long wings (Behle 1942;Mayr 1956;Hamilton 1961), and such populations are usually the more northern ones (Appendix II), the non-migratory Aleutian populations being notable exceptions.…”

Section: Discussion Of All Wing Measurementsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Ecogeographical Variation in Size and Proportions of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia)

Aldrich¹

1984

Ornithological Monographs

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. University of California Press and AmericanOrnithologists' Union are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Ornithological Monographs.

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“…This difference may be related to the fact that C. striatus occupies habitats in which there is closer spacing of vegetation, with the result that this species flies shorter distances. (See discussions of the relationship of density of vegetation and wing length by Miller, 1931;Pitelka, 1951;Hamilton, 1961;and Selander, 1964. ) In both sexes of C. striatus, but especially in the female, the tail is disproportionately longer in relation to body size than in C. aurifrons.…”

Section: Morphological Comparisonmentioning

confidence: 96%

Sexual Dimorphism and Differential Niche Utilization in Birds

1966

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JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.. University of California Press and CooperOrnithological Society are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Condor.

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The Adaptive Significances of Intraspecific Trends of Variation in Wing Length and Body Size Among Bird Species

Cited by 116 publications

References 43 publications

Comparative Morphology of Northern Populations of Breeding Cooper's Hawks

Comparative Morphology of Northern Populations of Breeding Cooper's Hawks

Ecogeographical Variation in Size and Proportions of Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia)

Sexual Dimorphism and Differential Niche Utilization in Birds

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