Abstract
Abstract. Plumage dimorphism is common in the family Ardeidae with one morph possessing all-white plumage and the alternate morph being darkly colored. The effects of plumage morph and colony site on nest initiation date, clutch size and total nest success of the plumage dimorphic Reddish Egret in the Laguna Madre region of Texas were examined. Color morph did not significantly affect nest initiation date (Julian date - Dark morph: 109.88 (S.D. 26.56), White morph: 100.82 (25.85), Mixed-morph: 113.29 (27.55); ANOVA: F(2,158)= 0.199, P = 0.820) although nest initiation date was different between nesting colonies (Julian date - Rabbit Island: 125.14 (S.D. 18.05); Zigzag Island: 87.15 (19.07); ANOVA: F(1,158) = 5.732, P = 0.018). Overall mean (±S.E.) clutch size was 3.29 ± 0.05 and differed between colony sites but not between color morphs. Model selection analysis using logistic exposure revealed that neither plumage morph nor colony site had a significant effect on nest success. Mayfield total nest success...
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