Two Male House Sparrows Copulating on Ground with Same Female

The Auk ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 146-146
Author(s):  
Hervey Brackbill
Keyword(s):  
House Sparrows ◽  
Male House

scholarly journals Uropygial gland and bib colouration in the house sparrow

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregorio Moreno-Rueda
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Uropygial Gland ◽  
Short Term ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Gland Size ◽  
Plumage Colouration ◽  
Preen Oil ◽  
Male House

Birds frequently signal different qualities by plumage colouration, mainly during mating. However, plumage colouration is determined during the moult, and therefore it would indicate the quality of individual birds during the moult, not its current quality. Recent studies, however, suggest that birds could modify plumage colouration by using cosmetic preen oil. In this study, I show that bib colouration is related to uropygial gland size and body condition in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus). Moreover, I conducted an experiment in which a group of sparrows were inoculated with an antigen, mimicking an illness. In control birds, short-term changes in bib colouration were related to both body condition and change in uropygial gland size. Therefore, birds that spent more preen oil (thus, reducing uropygial gland size), showed a greater colouration change. However, bib colouration did not change with use of preen oil in experimental birds inoculated with the antigen. That is, the simulated illness cancelled the effect of preen oil on bib colouration. Given that the experiment did not affect preen oil production, this finding suggests that the immune challenge provoked a change in the composition of preen oil, affecting its cosmetic properties. In short, the results of this study suggest that (1) male house sparrows produce cosmetic preen oil that alters the colouration of their bibs; (2) the more effort in preening, the more change in bib colouration; and (3) in this way, bib colouration has the potential to signal current health status, since less healthy birds showed less capacity to change bib colouration.

Production Of Melanin-Based Plumage Traits In Male House Sparrows: No Effect Of Dietary Copper

2011 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-15
Author(s):  
Ian R.K. Stewart ◽  
David F. Westneat
Keyword(s):  
Bird Species ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
Limiting Factors ◽  
Enzymatic Oxidation ◽  
Copper Level ◽  
Melanin Production ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Dietary Copper ◽  
Male House ◽  
Recommended Level

Abstract In many bird species, males possess conspicuous patches of black feathers on their head or breast, the size of which is often positively related to their success in intra- and intersexual interactions. The production of these plumage signals is presumed to depend upon one or more limiting factors which prevent low quality males developing large signals in order to gain the associated benefits. The coloration of these feathers is due to their infusion with the pigment melanin, which birds synthesize endogenously during a series of conversion steps beginning with the enzymatic oxidation of the amino acid tyrosine. Copper is the cofactor of the enzyme responsible for this process, and it is possible that copper level limits the activity of the enzyme and therefore limits melanin production. We tested this hypothesis by manipulating the level of dietary copper available to individually caged juvenile and adult house sparrows (Passer domesticus) throughout their moult. Birds were provided with artificial diets containing either 100%, 50% or 10% of the recommended level of copper. Dietary copper did not affect the size of the black breast patch, the most obvious melanin-based plumage trait in this species, nor did it affect the reflectance of the black feathers. In sum, we reject the hypothesis that dietary copper limits the size or blackness of the breast patch of the male house sparrow.

Dietary amino acids influence plumage traits and immune responses of male house sparrows, Passer domesticus, but not as expected

2005 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 1171-1181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph P. Poston ◽  
Dennis Hasselquist ◽  
Ian R.K. Stewart ◽  
David F. Westneat
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Dietary Amino Acids ◽  
Male House

Male House Sparrows Behave as If a Fertilization Window Exists

The Auk ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 116 (4) ◽  
pp. 1141-1144 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
House Sparrows ◽  
Male House ◽  
As If

Social environment during molt and the expression of melanin-based plumage pigmentation in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus)

2002 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 116-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. McGraw ◽  
James Dale ◽  
Emiko A. Mackillop
Keyword(s):  
Social Environment ◽  
Passer Domesticus ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Male House

Author response for "Innate and adaptive immune proteins in the preen gland secretions of male house sparrows"

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Carneiro ◽  
Gábor Árpád Czirják ◽  
Melissah Rowe
Keyword(s):  
Author Response ◽  
Preen Gland ◽  
House Sparrows ◽  
Adaptive Immune ◽  
Male House
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