Conditional association between melanism and personality in Israeli Barn Owls |
| |
Authors: | Ori Peleg Motti Charter Yossi Leshem Ido Izhaki |
| |
Institution: | 1. Department of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Ramat-Aviv 69978, Israel;2. Department of Evolution and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel;3. Department of Evolution and Environmental Biology, University of Haifa, Haifa 31905, Israel |
| |
Abstract: | Capsule Boldness defines the extent to which animals are willing to take risks in the presence of a predator. Late, but not early, in the breeding season, Israeli nestling Barn Owls displaying larger black feather spots were more docile, feigned death longer and had a lower breathing rate when handled than smaller-spotted nestlings. Larger-spotted breeding females were less docile if heavy but more more docile if light. The covariation between personality (boldness vs. timid) and melanin-based colouration is therefore conditional on environmental factors. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|