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The Evolution of Bird Coloration and Plumage Elaboration

A Review of Hypotheses

  • Chapter
Current Ornithology

Part of the book series: Current Ornithology ((CUOR,volume 12))

Abstract

Although physically homogeneous, birds come in a wide variety of colors, rivaling butterflies and tropical reef fishes. Such variation invites attention and many hypotheses have been developed to explain the evolution of avian color and pattern. In addition, plumage of birds have structural elaborations that go beyond its insulative and aerodynamic properties including various kinds of ruffs, elongated tails (retrices or coverts), crests, and plumes which I refer to collectively as “ornaments.” Since many hypotheses for the evolution of color and pattern (especially conspicuous colors and patterns) involve communicative functions that apply also to the evolution of ornaments, I treat both color and ornaments in this review.

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  1. Udo M. Savalli

    Present address: Department of Biology, Allegheny College, Meadville, Pennsylvania, 16335, USA

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    Udo M. Savalli

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    Dennis M. Power

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Savalli, U.M. (1995). The Evolution of Bird Coloration and Plumage Elaboration. In: Power, D.M. (eds) Current Ornithology. Current Ornithology, vol 12. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1835-8_5

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