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Science 22 July 2005:
Vol. 309. no. 5734, pp. 617 - 619
DOI: 10.1126/science.1112774
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Reports

Extreme Reversed Sexual Dichromatism in a Bird Without Sex Role Reversal

Robert Heinsohn,1* Sarah Legge,2 John A. Endler3,4

Brilliant plumage is typical of male birds, reflecting differential enhancement of male traits when females are the limiting sex. Brighter females are thought to evolve exclusively in response to sex role reversal. The striking reversed plumage dichromatism of Eclectus roratus parrots does not fit this pattern. We quantify plumage color in this species and show that very different selection pressures are acting on males and females. Male plumage reflects a compromise between the conflicting requirements for camouflage from predators while foraging and conspicuousness during display. Females are liberated from the need for camouflage but compete for rare nest hollows.

1 Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 Australia.
2 School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 Australia.
3 Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106–9610, USA.
4 Department of Zoology and Tropical Ecology, James Cook University, Townsville QLD 4811, Australia.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: Robert.Heinsohn{at}anu.edu.au

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