White Feathers Research Articles

Red Bobwhite from Douglas County, Kansas

An erythristic juvenile female bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) was collected on 10 December 1978, by Vincent O'Neal approximately 6.5 km southeast of Lawrence, Douglas County, Kansas. Its plumage was chocolate brown to chestnut throughout except for approximately 15 white feathers on the upper chest. Cole et al. (1949) described these white feathers as a crop patch which is always associated with the gene for red. On the throat and crown were black, chocolate, and chestnut colored feathers. Some crown feathers exhibited wide black bands along the rachis, edged in chestnut. Black mottling with fine black vermiculation was evident on some belly and back feathers. Primaries and secondaries were solid gray to brownish gray, as were the rectuces. Primary coverts were brownish gray tipped with chestnut. The first and second toe of the right foot showed signs of partial albinism as did the second toe of the left foot. The legs and bill were black.

GENETICS OF WHITE-BREASTED, WHITE AND BROWN COLORS AND DESCRIPTIONS OF FEATHER PATTERNS IN JAPANESE QUAIL

Genetic investigation showed that a newly arisen mutant trait, white breast feathers, was recessive, autosomal and followed a simple Mendelian pattern of inheritance when tested with the gray (Wild Type) Japanese Quail. The same results were demonstrated for a white-feathered trait. The brown-feathered trait was demonstrated to be due to a single autosomal gene which showed partial dominance. Segregation of progeny from matings between brown birds having a large patch of white feathers in the breast region indicated that the loci for brown and white were independent and that heterozygous white produced the patch phenotype in the presence of homozygous or heterozygous brown. Other feather pattern variants described were white crescent and white beard feathers, both were recessive traits and each possibly due to an effect at a single locus.

Studies On White-feathered and Dark-feathered Japanese Quail

White-feathered and brown-feathered Japanese quail was crossed, and their offspring of several plumage color types including wild, white, dark, brown, mosaic type of dark and white, and mosaic type of brown and white were subjected to genetical analysis.The color of pigmented plumage is determined by the combinations of two autosomal allelic genes. The dark plumage color is caused by a single gene (+D) that is incomplete dominant to the wild plumage gene (+), and their heterozygotes (+/+D) gives the brown plumage that is intermediate color between dark and wild.The distribution of pigmented and pigment-free white feathers is controlled primarily by the combinations of another two autosomal allelic genes. The white plumage is caused by a single gene (i).This inhibits the pigmentation of melanine, and homozygosity for this (i/i) always gives white plumage except some limited areas in the head and back where pigmented feathers appear as spots.The pigmented plumage is caused by an allelic gene to i (I), and in the homozygous condition (I/I) this gene gives pigmented self color. The heterozygous condition for these (I/i) forms mosaic types of pigmented and white with +D/+D or +/+D, but forms wild self color with +/+, indicating I/i is hypostatic to +/+.

An Abnormal Requirement for Iron in Dystrophic Chickens

Dystrophic chickens which were fed 1% or 1.5% Na2 · EDTA developed white feathers and showed lower hematocrit and hemoglobin values than normal New Hampshire chickens. These abnormalities may be corrected by adding dietary iron, indicating that chickens with hereditary muscular dystrophy have a higher dietary requirement for iron than normal chickens. No differences were found in the utilization of 59Fe.

An allotypic marker on chicken immunoglobulin M.

AbstractAn allotypic marker, present on IgM, but not IgG, molecules in sera from chickens of the inbred CA, CB and G‐B1 lines, is described. The marker, called “C‐Ml”, is absent in sera from birds of the WA and WB lines, and its segregation in (CB × WA)F2 birds is consistent with its inheritance as a single dominant factor. It can be detected in sera of normal (CA) one‐week‐old birds. The locus controlling this allotype marker is not sex‐linked, nor is it closely linked to the serum albumin, dominant white feather color, or B blood group and major histocompatibility loci.

Ultrastructural investigation of autophagocytosis of melanosomes and programmed death of melanocytes in White Leghorn feathers: a study of morphogenetic events leading to hypomelanosis

White Leghorn chickens have decreased feather melanin, not because pigment cells are absent, but because of a genetically determined programmed cell death that causes pigment cells to degenerate prematurely before the melanin can be deposited in the feathers. In this paper, we studied the feather germs of this breed and of control Black Minorca chickens by light and electron microscopy to elucidate further the mechanism of cell death. White Leghorn feature-germ melanocytes produced a large number of unmelanized melanosomes which, however, did not become melanized, nor were they transferred into the keratinocytes of the follicles. From day 10 of incubation onward, large autophagosomes appeared in the melanocytes of White Leghorn feather follicles. These autophagosomes were acid phosphatase positive and engulfed incompletely melanized melanosomes. They also contained melanosome degradation products. Finally, degeneration of the whole melanocyte followed. These necrotic melanocytes were engulfed by normal-looking keratinocytes of the same follicle. In Black Minorcas, on the other hand, there was a normal sequence of synthesis, melanization, and transfer of melanosomes. The melanocytes degenerated only at the time of hatching, without the formation of large autophagosomes.

On the color change in Japanese Crested Ibis

Although white and grey forms had long been known in Japanese Crested Ibis Nipponia nippon, its scarcity prevented detailed research. Contrary to a former opinion that these were color phases, Mr. H. Sato (1957) considered them as seasonal forms and later suggested (1968) that the grey form is caused by cosmetic coloration toward breeding season.This paper presents a detailed analysis on the mechanism of this type of color change based on numerous feather samples offered to Yamashina Institute by Mr. Y. Muramoto who collected them in its natural habitat in Ishikawa for many years. Supplemental observations were made with live birds in Sado I. with valuable assistance of Messrs. K. Chikatsuji and T. Takano of Ibis protection Center. Histological studies were made by the author at Department of Zoology, Tokyo University.Some important points clarified in this paper are as follows:1. The feather samples suggested neither of the known types of color change: 1) molting, 2) abrasion, 3) cosmetic staining with color substance in preen oil, 4) photo chemical change of biochrome in the feather, and 5) external staining (e. g. iron in water birds).2. Under the feathers surrounding the naked face of Japanese Crested Ibis, a particular area of the skin was found producing 'black substance.' (Fig. 12).3. A few tiny samples of this black substance fell on the snow when a captive ibis scratched that region of the head (Fig. 13, 14). These could be collected and used for chemical analysis (to be published elsewhere).4. Prior to the breeding season, in late January through February, a characteristic behavior of rubbing the side of its head to the shoulder region was observed after bathing. This was named 'daubing behavior' (Fig. 16) and it lasted 20-30 minutes followed by normal preening.5. The grey, or rather blackish, tint of the neck to shoulder region got deeper as the 'daubing behavior' was repeated.6. Histologically, it was proved that the grey tint was caused by external adherance of 'black substance' to the proximal (not distal) barbules of the normal white feathers (Fig. 4-10).7. The black substance on the feathers and those picked up after head scsatching were identical microscopically and chemically. These are supposed to come out along feather pores of the skin, since the feathers of the black substance producing area had black ring near the root of the rachis (Fig. 2, 9, 10).8. The change from grey to white form occurred by normal post-nuptial molting (Fig. 17) and neither 'daubing behavior' nor dropping of black substance was observed after bathing in this period.9. The 'daubing behavior' was so important in this new type of plumage color change that even during the critical period of change from white to grey form, the white plumage remained untinted unless this behavior was performed, which always occurred after bathing. Five to six bathing-'daubing behavior' sequences completed a typical grey form. The first bathing of the season was observed on a fine day in late January.10. Physio-ethological mechanisms and the hormonal control involved were analysed (Fig. 20) and significance of the grey form was discussed eco-evolutionarily.

A note on the plumage color of the Japanese Crested Ibis

The anther had already reported this opinion (1957, '61, '63) that grey type of Nipponia nippon is not a color phase but the nuptial coloration plumage. This was again confirmed in two young birds kept to adult in captivity cone died later since 1965.The young is dirty white first (not pure white as in adults) asuming pinkish wash in later autumn. The outer two primaries have brown edgings. Though the second year including the breeding season, the plumage was white, and in the third year, it became grey on the crest, neck to the back from February. This grey plumage was replaced by molting by pure white feathers in late September. It is unknown by what cause this pure white feathers become washed with grey in February.

Effects of Estrogen on Feather Phaeomelanin Intensity in the Fowl ,

LIKE many other physiological processes, feather melanization has been shown to be influenced by the endocrine system. Most thoroughly studied in this respect are the roles of the thyroid and the gonads in the development of the sexually dichromatic pattern of the Light Brown Leghorn (see Smyth, 1965, for description of plumage pattern). These studies have been reviewed in detail by Trinkaus (1953) and indicate that estrogen and thyroxine interact to produce the pigment pattern of the adult female Light Brown Leghorn. The absence of estrogen rather than the presence of androgen results in the adult male pattern. Although the sexual dichromatism in this breed involves within-feather-tract synthesis of eumelanin vs. phaeomelanin, the presence of the latter is not necessary for eumelanin suppression as shown by such silver wild types as the Silver Duckwing Game, in which white feathers normally occur in place of the red.There is less information …

The Structure and Pigmentation of the Feather Tips of the Scaled Cuckoo (Lepidogrammus cumingi)

NUMEROUS publications have dealt with the study of the structure and function of feathers, their modifications in various groups, and their use as a taxonomic tool (Chandler, 1916). Feather pigments and structural color have received much attention because of their attractiveness and the challenging developmental, biochemical, physical, and functional problems involved (for reviews see Frank, 1939; Fox, 1953; V6lker, 1960). Terminal structures on the tips of feathers have rarely been studied. Such structures are conspicuous on the secondary remiges of members of the genus Bombycilla, the waxwings. The morphological relations of the pigment and the feather, as well as the nature of the pigment itself, have recently been described by Brush and Allen (1963) for the Cedar Waxwing (B. cedrorum). The morphology of the feather tip of the closely related Bohemian Waxwing (B. garrulus) has also been investigated (Stieda, 1872 ), and Chandler (1916) concluded that among birds this structure is unique in Bombycilla. However, superficially similar structure may be found in other birds, such as the Paradisaeidae, the birds of paradise. Danforth (1958) reported a feather structure in the male Gray Jungle Fowl (Gallus sonneratii) which resembles that of the waxwing. This study considers the Scaled Cuckoo, Lepidogrammus cumingi, a species confined to the islands of Luzon and Marinduque in the Philippines. Its plumage is not unusual except for the presence of numerous white feathers tipped with black spangles which occur on the pterylae of the head and neck. These feathers are the subject of this study.

The nature of the effect of x-irradiation in depigmentation.

The depigmentation of hair and feather areas by x rays is discussed. Suggested explanations have involved the assumption that the melanoblasts are directly and quantitatively affected. This view wss critically evaluated. Tissue cultures from collars of white feathers growing in follicles that had already produced several generations of such white feathers after irradiation (neck feathers of Brown Leghorn capons), produced melanocytes comparable in numbers and appearance with those of control (pignnented feather) collar cultures. The papillae that had produced such a succession of depigmented feather generations were transplanted to unirradiated breast follicles. Here they continued to produce depigmented neck feather, although some at least were using local unirradiated pigment cells. lJnirradiated breast papillae in irradiated neck follicles produced only normally pigmented breast feathers through seven feather generations. It is suggested that this depigmentation is mediated by the ectoderm concerned and that the action of x rays, in this connection, is upon the melanoblast-ectoderm relationship known to be concerned in many pigmentation processes. (auth)

Effect of Processing Methods and Amino Acid Supplementation on Dietary Utilization of Feather Meal Protein by Chicks

INTRODUCTIONTHE keratin proteins have generally been considered to be of little nutritive value because of their chemical structure which makes them insoluble and poorly digestible. Early attempts to use powdered sources of keratin as dietary protein were only slightly successful even when amino acid supplements were provided to offset the deficiencies of these proteins. Routh (1942) reported that powdered chicken feathers, as the sole source of protein for rats, were capable of supporting a moderate growth rate only when supplemented by tryptophan, methionine, histidine and lysine. Balance experiments conducted by Mangold and Dubski (1930) failed to show any digestion of white goose feathers by cats and owls. Thus it appeared that native feather keratin was not only seriously deficient in certain amino acids but was also poorly digestible.The development by Binkley and Vasak (1950) of a method for processing feathers into a friable, high density meal stimulated new…

The Chromatographic Separation and Identification of Some Peptides in Partial Hydrolysates of White Turkey Feather Calamus

The Chromatographic Separation and Identification of Some Peptides in Partial Hydrolysates of White Turkey Feather Calamus

Feather Meal and Poultry Meat Scrap in Chick Starting Rations

INTEREST has grown in the use of feathers and poultry offal (blood, viscera, heads and feet) as components of poultry rations. Disposal problems associated with an accumulation of these waste materials at poultry processing plants have led many to inquire into possible uses for such wastes. While untreated offal and feathers have been applied directly to the soil as fertilizer, this method of disposal is generally unsatisfactory.The keratin proteins have generally been considered to be of little nutritive value because of their structure, insolubility and consequent indigestibility. Mangold and Dubiski (1930) conducted balance studies which failed to show any digestion of quills of white goose feathers when these were fed to owls, cats, dogs and rats. Routh (1942) found that powdered feathers were capable of supporting moderate growth in the young rat when supplemented with tryptophan, methionine, histidine and lysine. Wagner and Elvehjem (1942 Wagner and Elvehjem (1943) showed that rats and …

Evidence for Iron Staining as the Cause of Rusty Discoloration of Normally White Feathers in Anserine Birds

Evidence for Iron Staining as the Cause of Rusty Discoloration of Normally White Feathers in Anserine Birds

The Amino Acid Composition of Certain Morphologically Distinct Parts of White Turkey Feathers, and of Goose Feather Barbs and Goose Down

The Amino Acid Composition of Certain Morphologically Distinct Parts of White Turkey Feathers, and of Goose Feather Barbs and Goose Down

A Method for Sexing Blue Grouse

A method of sexing blue grouse (Dendragapus obscurus) in hand and in field has been found by the author, while studying this bird in Washington County, Idaho. With birds in hand, the method is simple, and of value where untrained personnel check the hunter's bag for sex. Sexes are differentiated by white feathers, tipped with bluish-black, around the cervical air sacs in the male, in contrast to barred grayish-brown feathers of that region in the female. The white feathers, inverted by the male in display, are found in about three rows on the upper side of the cervical air sacs and five to six prominent rows on the lower side. The feathers of the jugulum are whitish, also tipped with bluish-black, but are not as distinct as those on the sides of the neck. For Birds in Hand.-In stroking the side of the neck from the body toward the head, the feathers are artificially inverted and a male is indicated by a flash of white feathers. From inspection of thirty-two male blue grouse, in which white feathers around the cervical air sac were checked against gonads, only one was found which did not have white feathers. It was a juvenile male collected July 18, 1952. However, a smaller juvenile male collected July 10, 1952 had the sex-distinguishing white feathers, as did another juvenile male collected August 18, 1952. Sixteen of the males checked were taken by hunters during September, 1952; twelve were collected by the author and four were predator and road kills. In addition, forty-nine other males from hunters' bags showed white feathers. In these, gonads were not checked, but absence of barred feathers on head, nape, interscapulars (Ridgway and Friedmann (1946), and middle pair of rectrices were used to identify males (Pearson, 1936). Nineteen female blue grouse, whose sex was determined by inspection of gonads, failed to show white feathers when stroked along side of neck from body to head. Fifteen of these females were taken by hunters during September, 1952. Seventy-one additional female blue grouse, from the hunter kill of September, 1952, did not have white feathers in the cervical region. These females were not sexed by inspection of gonads, but by barred feathers on head, nape, interscapulars and central pair of rectrices. Since the only negative case was a juvenile male approximately six weeks old, the method is considered effective for sexing adult blue grouse in the hand during all months, and juveniles after the middle of August. For Birds in Field.-In life, the white feathers around the cervical air sac in the male frequently form a white streak along the side of the neck terminating in the shoulder region. At times the white streak is concealed. Its absence therefore is not indicative of a female. Many times, due to poor light and distance, the white streak is more easily distinguished than other sexual differences in plumage, especially when juveniles are present. In the current study, presence of the white streak has been used in the field as an aid to check sex of

High Levels of Antibiotics and White Feathers in Poults

The experiment reported herein was prompted by a field observation in which case a flock of Broad Breasted Bronze poults being fed a high level of an antibiotic developed a high incidence of white feathers. The breeding flock from which the poults were hatched was affected with sinusitis and the poults were being started on a high level of antibiotic to prevent undue losses from chronic respiratory disease. About 75 percent of several successive hatches, involving several hundred poults each, developed white barring on the flight feathers when fed in this manner.Slinger et al. (1951) found that relatively low levels of antibiotics produced a high incidence of white feathers with diets borderline in lysine content. If high levels of antibiotics produce better growth and feed efficiency than levels usually recommended they might well cause white feathers with diets giving normal feather color in conjunction with normal levels of the …

The Influence of Animal Protein Factor Supplements and Antibiotics on the Incidence and Severity of White Feathers in Turkeys

Fritz et al. ('46) showed that lysine was necessary for Ihn prevention of a white bar condition in the flight feathers of bronze poults. Grau et al. ( '46) found a lysine requirement for poults of 1.3%, while German et al. ('49) obtained normal feather pigmentation with 1.2% lysine in the diet. Slinger et al. ('49) and Gartley et al. ('50) found that sunflower seed oil meal was seriously deficient in lysine for the poult when used to supply most of the supplementary protein in either a 24 or 28% protein diet. The results of the latter workers sug gested a higher dietary lysine requirement for normal feather pigmentation than for optimum growth in poults. Several workers have reported that certain animal protein factor (APF) supplements cause a marked increase in the growth of poults (McGinniset al., '49; Singsen and Matterson, '49; Slinger, '50; and others). Stokstad and Jukes ('50) have shown that aureomycin, at low levels, causes growth stimula tion in poults, while McGinnis ('50) has reported that peni cillin, aureomycin, terramycin and streptomycin produce a substantial growth increase in this species. Newly hatched broad breasted bronze poults were used in all of the tests to be reported. The birds were vent-sexed and 345

Snipe in Eastern Africa

Summary— The Jack Snipe is a very distinctive bird and should not be confused with the other four species. Its flight also is slower and more butterfly‐like.The Pintail Snipe is not readily distinguishable in the field from the Common Snipe, but in the hand the extraordinarily thin outer tail feathers are unmistakable.The Common Snipe is easily distinguishable by the outer tail feathers, which can be seen at close quarters when the bird is in flight. It also has a more rapid flight than either the Double or African Snipe, and looks rather smaller on the wing.The African Snipe has a heavier and rather slower flight than the Common Snipe and usually looks larger on the wing. The much narrower white outer tail feathers are the most outstanding character.The Double Snipe is the one that is usually confused with the African Snipe, as its general appearance and*outer tail feathers are much the same when seen in flight. In the hand the barred belly is a most distinctive character. The outer tail feathers are broader than those of the African Snipe. It should not be confused with the Common Snipe, and certainly not with the Pintail Snipe.When a bag of mixed Double and African Snipe are laid out, the white unbarred belly of the latter is very apparent.