2 research outputs found
The function of the cosmetic coloration of bearded vultures: when art imitates life
Free-ranging adult bearded vultures, Gypaetus barbatus,
typically have a rich orange colour on their underparts,
neck and head. Wild birds, however, vary considerably in
coloration and captive birds have a pure white ventral
plumage. Rufous birds are the most usual colour morph
throughout the range of the species, except in the small
populations of the Mediterranean islands of Corsica (Thiollay 1968) and Crete (Xirouchakis 1998), where
white birds are common.A.M. was supported by Fundacio Territori i Paisatge. F.H. and
J.J.N. acknowledge grant PB97-1264 from the Spanish
Ministry of Education and Culture.Peer Reviewe