Colourful traits in female birds relate to individual condition, reproductive performance and male-mate preferences: a meta-analytic approach

Hernández, A. and Martínez-Gómez, M. and Beamonte-Barrientos, R. and Montoya, B.

Biol Lett (2021) 17: 20210283

DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0283

Abstract

Colourful traits in females are suggested to have evolved and be maintained by sexual selection. Although several studies have evaluated this idea, support is still equivocal. Evidence has been compiled in reviews, and a handful of quantitative syntheses has explored cumulative support for the link between condition and specific colour traits in males and females. However, understanding the potential function of females’ colourful traits in sexual communication has not been the primary focus of any of those previous studies. Here, using a meta-analytic approach, we find that evidence from empirical studies in birds supports the idea that colourful female ornaments are positively associated with residual mass and immune response, clutch size and male-mate preferences. Hence, colourful traits in female birds likely evolved and are maintained by sexual selection as condition-dependent signals.

Citation

Hernández, A., Martínez-Gómez, M., Beamonte-Barrientos, R., & Montoya, B. (2021). Colourful traits in female birds relate to individual condition, reproductive performance and male-mate preferences: a meta-analytic approach. Biol Lett, 17(9), 20210283. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2021.0283 Animals, Male, Female, Phenotype, *Reproduction, *Birds, *sexual selection, *carotenoids, *female ornaments, *male-mate choice, *melanins, *structural coloration, Clutch Size

Keywords

• Animals
• Male
• Female
• Phenotype
• *Reproduction
• *Birds
• *sexual selection
• *carotenoids
• *female ornaments
• *male-mate choice
• *melanins
• *structural coloration
• Clutch Size