Delayed plumage maturation is the delayed acquisition of a definitive colour and pattern of
plumage until after the first potential breeding period in birds. Here we provide a …

Intrasexual competition in female birds is a widespread phenomenon but remains scarcely
explored. Females compete for limited resources and the expression of signals that indicate …

There is increasing evidence that sexual selection operates in females and not only in
males. However, the function of female signals in intrasexual competition has been little …

Melanin is the most common pigment in animal integuments and is responsible for some of
the most striking ornaments. A central tenet of sexual selection theory states that melanin …

The duration of the postfledging dependence period (PFDP) is supposed to be modulated
by the parent–offspring conflict: Offspring should extract the highest levels of parental …

Multiple raptors show juvenile plumage that is substantially different from that of their
parents. Here, we test the prediction that the colouration of the juvenile northern goshawk …

Competition for resources (eg mates or food) is the main evolutionary explanation for
conspicuous ornaments in males, although this idea is not generalized in females. Whether …

Permanent female mimicry, in which adult males express a female phenotype, is known only
from two bird species. A likely benefit of female mimicry is reduced intrasexual competition …

Success in sibling competition is one of the main factors determining individual body
condition in the early stages of life and consequently offspring survival and fitness. In birds …

The simultaneous exhibition of more than one secondary sexual trait is a widespread
phenomenon in nature, though it has rarely been explored. It has been proposed that …