Abstract
Color‐based visual signals are important aspects of communication throughout the animal kingdom. Individuals evaluate color to obtain information about age and condition and to behave accordingly. Birds display a variety of striking, conspicuous colors and make ideal subjects for the study of color signaling. While most studies of avian color focus on plumage, bare unfeathered body parts also display a wide range of color signals. Mate choice and intrasexual competitive interactions are easily observed in lekking grouse, which also signal with prominent unfeathered color patches. Most male grouse have one pair of colorful bare part ornaments (combs), and males of several species also have inflatable air sacs in their throat. Previous studies have mostly focused on comb color and size, but little is known about the signaling role of air sac color. We measured comb size and the color properties of combs and air sacs in the Lesser and Greater Prairie‐Chickens (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus and T. cupido, respectively), and investigated whether these properties varied with age and mass. We found that mass predicted color properties of air sacs and that age predicted comb size in the Greater Prairie‐Chicken, suggesting that these ornaments indicate condition dependence. No conclusive relationships between color and age or size were detected in the Lesser Prairie‐Chicken. Color properties of both ornaments differed between the two species. Further research is needed to determine mechanisms that link condition to color and whether the information advertised by color signals from these ornaments is intended for males, females, or both.
Highlights
Color signals play an important role in visual signaling and commu‐ nication throughout the animal kingdom
Models of honest advertisement predict that overall coloration and ornamental size and color can act as reliable signals of male con‐ dition
We examined whether age and body mass predict the color prop‐ erties and size of bare part ornaments in the Lesser and Greater Prairie‐Chickens and if color signals convey different information between the two species
Summary
Color signals play an important role in visual signaling and commu‐ nication throughout the animal kingdom. Models of honest advertisement predict that overall coloration and ornamental size and color can act as reliable signals of male con‐ dition. The Lesser Prairie‐Chicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) and Greater Prairie‐Chicken (T. cupido) are promiscuous grouse which copulate and engage in aggressive intrasexual interactions on aggregated leks Males of these species exhibit two pairs of brightly colored fleshy ornaments which are featured prominently in mating displays—supraorbital combs and esophageal inflatable apteria (hereafter “air sacs”). Because age and condi‐ tion are expected to be assessed by conspecifics in both intra‐ and intersexual contexts, we expected age and condition to predict the color properties of prominently displayed ornaments If so, these ornaments may act as reliable signals for evaluation. We expected that comb characteristics would vary with age and size in both species
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