Feathers are a special feature of birds, and their ancestors the Pennaraptoran dinosaurs, and are central to many essential functions in avian life. They also affect bird colour and shape and hence, are very important in visual communication. And of course, flight feathers increase the surface over which aerodynamic forces operate, thereby enabling flight.
Feather moult is a critical process in the life of birds because feathers must be renewed as they get worn with time. Birds moult their flight feathers every year, a process that is considered one of the most energy-demanding processes in the avian yearly cycle. In addition, moult strategy is of great importance in relation to flight performance. Although feathers are the unifying characteristic of all birds, and several dinosaurs species, our understanding of the causes, mechanisms, patterns and consequences of the feather moult process lags behind that of other major avian life history phenomena such as reproduction and migration. In my research, I focus on the effects of life-history traits and environmental conditions on the evolution of feather moult strategies. I use feather moult data from natural history museums, as well as data collected during bird ringing activities in several localities across Israel and the Palearctic region to understand how moult strategies are shaped by life-history traits and environmental conditions. |
Greater Hoopoe-Lark (Alaemon alaudipes) |