The signalling function of melanin‐based colouration is debated. Sexual selection theory
states that ornaments should be costly to produce, maintain, wear or display to signal quality …

Colour patterns (eg irregular, spotted or barred forms) are widespread in the animal
kingdom, yet their potential role as signals of quality has been mostly neglected. However, a …

Males and females often display different behaviours and, in the context of reproduction,
these behaviours are labelled sex roles. The Darwin–Bateman paradigm argues that the …

A standard approach to model how selection shapes phenotypic traits is the analysis of
capture–recapture data relating trait variation to survival. Divergent selection, however, has …

Ambient noise has increased in extent, duration and intensity with significant implications for
species' lives. Birds especially, because they heavily rely on vocal communication, are …

Animals interpret their environment by combining information from multiple senses. The
relative usefulness of different senses may vary between species, habitats and sexes; yet …

In vertebrates, darker individuals are often found to be more active and willing to take risks
(representing characteristics of a 'proactive'coping style), whereas lighter individuals are …

The differential allocation hypothesis posits that individuals should invest in the current
reproductive attempt according to the attractiveness of their mate, but studies of allocation by …

Particularly in species with biparental care and low levels of extrapair paternity, sexual traits
that honestly indicate phenotypic and genetic quality are expected. We investigated in the …

The evolution and function of female trait exaggeration in species with traditional sex roles
are poorly understood. Competition for social and ecological resources, rather than mating …