Meeting Abstract

P3.123  Friday, Jan. 6  Finding the blue in bluebirds: what does full-spectrum data tell you about individual quality that a camera cannot? TUN, K.M. *; PEIRIS, F.C; CARLTON, E.D.; MATSON, K.D.; MAUCK, R.A.; Department of Biology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022; Department of Physics, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio 43022; Indiana University, Bloomington; Animal Ecology Group, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Studies, University of Groningen, P.O. Box 14 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands tunk@kenyon.edu

Energetically costly traits are thought to display honest signals of individual quality because only high quality individuals can afford and maintain these traits. Plumage color in birds has often been interpreted in this way. While many studies have measured plumage color in the visible spectrum using relatively inexpensive photographic techniques, fewer have measured plumage color in the full spectrum due to the cost of such measurements. Previously, we have shown that visible-light plumage coloration is an honest signal of individual quality in the in Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis). In this study, we measured full spectrum reflectance of rectrices from bluebirds included in the previous study and compared these full spectrum data with the previously collected visible-light-only data. Here we report on 1) the correlation between visible and full spectrum data for these feathers and 2) the utility of both visible and full spectrum data for analysis of individual quality in this species.