Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/24941
Title: Ultraviolet reflectance influences female preference for colourful males in the European serin
Authors: Leitão, Ana V. 
Monteiro, Anabela H. 
Mota, Paulo G. 
Keywords: European serin; Serinus serinus; Carotenoid-based colouration; Female choice; Sexual selection; UV colouration
Issue Date: 2014
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Serial title, monograph or event: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Volume: 68
Issue: 1
Abstract: Avian plumage colouration is one of the most impressive displays in nature and is frequently used as sexual signal. There is now considerable evidence that females consistently prefer males with the most elaborated colour displays. Bird colour vision expands into the ultraviolet (UV) range, which prompted several studies to test the importance of UV in mate choice, revealing that females are affected by the UV light component. These studies were mostly performed on structural plumage, whereas carotenoid-based plumage was rarely considered, although it also has a typical reflection peak in the UV. Our study tested the female choice over male yellow colouration, and whether it is influenced by UVremoval, in the European serin (Serinus serinus ), a sexually dichromatic cardueline finch, with males showing a conspicuous carotenoid-based yellow plumage. We shows that females preferred yellower males and that male attractiveness was lost when the UV colouration was blocked, with either of the UVblocking techniques used. The results of our study indicate that the UV component of carotenoid colouration is important in the female mate assessment in serins and highlights the importance of considering colour perception in avian mate choice.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10316/24941
ISSN: 0340-5443
DOI: 10.1007/s00265-013-1623-5
Rights: openAccess
Appears in Collections:FCTUC Ciências da Vida - Artigos em Revistas Internacionais

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