Looking for white feathers in male western capercaillies Tetrao urogallus

Unusual plumage colours are of interest for environmental and evolutionary questions. This brief article reappraised information on male western capercaillies Tetrao urogallus individuals with atypical white feathers. It was inspired by a casual observation of T. u. aquitanicus in the Pyrenees. The...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: M. Sarasa
Format: Article
Language:Catalan
Published: Museu de Ciències Naturals de Barcelona 2023-05-01
Series:Arxius de Miscel-lània Zoològica
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Online Access:https://raco.cat/index.php/AMZ/article/view/418857
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Summary:Unusual plumage colours are of interest for environmental and evolutionary questions. This brief article reappraised information on male western capercaillies Tetrao urogallus individuals with atypical white feathers. It was inspired by a casual observation of T. u. aquitanicus in the Pyrenees. The presence of colour aberrations has been reported for several body parts in male western capercaillies. Updated quantifications of this phenomenon and the understanding of its causal factors remain pending for this species. Monitoring individual variability in plumage in tetraonids could contribute to assessing potential signs of population deterioration in species that are currently faced with population and habitat fragmentation and subject to climate change.
ISSN:1698-0476