Slight sexual dimorphism in tail-fork depth of Common Swifts Apus apus
In: Ringing & Migration. TAYLOR & FRANCIS LTD: Abingdon. ISSN 0307-8698, more
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| Author keywords |
Common Swift; morphometrics; biometry; sexual size dimorphy; natural selection; sexual selection; aerodynamics |
| Authors | | Top |
- Jukema, J.
- van de Wetering, H.
- Gutiérrez, J.S., more
- Piersma, T., more
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| Abstract |
For two new data sets from the Netherlands, we show that male Common Swifts have deeper tail forks than females. Although this hints at sexual selection, with a degree of masculine extravagance at work, the male dimensions are closer to the design rules for an aerodynamically optimal swift than are those of females. |
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