A new female-like morph of juvenile male Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes) – Sexual mimicry to avoid intra-specific predation?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1515/eje-2015-0008Keywords:
Levant sparrowhawk, intraspecific predation, avoidance, morphAbstract
In migrant Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes) at Eilat, Israel, we noted that juvenile males had two different morphs – the one described to date in literature; and a second, previously undescribed morph, with femalelike barring on the chest and flanks interspersed with tear-shaped elongated spots, giving an overall female-like appearance. Here we forward the hypothesis that explain the evolutionary consequences for the female-like plumage of juvenile males as that of intra-specific sex mimicry developed to avoid intra-specific predation by the larger females.
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of the Western Palearctics–ringing recoveries at Eilat, Israel
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Die Vogelwarte 39, 131-140.
Yosef, R. (1998) Clues to the migratory routes of the Western Palearctics
– ringing recoveries at Eilat, Israel (II–Falconiformes). Die
Vogelwarte 39, 203-208.
birds shorter wings than older ones? Ibis 126, 410-415.
Begon, M., Harper, J.L. & Townsend, C.R. (1986) Ecology: individuals,
populations and communities. Sinauer Assoc., Inc. Publ. U.S.A.
Berger, D.D. & Mueller, H.C. (1959) The Bal-chatri: a trap for the birds of
prey. Bird-Banding 30, 18-26.
Brooke, M. & Birkhead, T. (1991) The Cambridge encyclopedia of ornithology.
Cambridge Univ. Press, U. K.
Borras, A., Cabrera, J., Cabrera, T. & Senar, J.C. (1998) Sex and age related
biometrical patterns in Pyrenean Citril Finches (Serinus
citronella). Die Vogelwarte 39, 196-202.
Clark, W.S. (1970) Migration trapping of hawks (and owls) at Cape May
N.J.-Third year. EBBA News 33, 181-189.
Clark, W.S. (1981) A modified dhogaza for use at a raptor banding station.
J. Wildl. Manage. 45, 1043-1044.
Clark, W.S., Duffy, K., Gorney, E., McGrady, M. & Schultz, C. (1986) Raptor
ringing at Eilat, Israel. Sandgrouse 7, 21-28.
Clark, W.S. (1995) Capture and banding of migrant raptors. Israel J.
Zool. 41, 237-242.
Clark, W.S. & Yosef, R. (1997) Migrant Levant Sparrowhawks (Accipiter
brevipes) at Eilat, Israel: measurements and timing. J. Raptor
Res. 31, 317-320.
Clark, W.S. & Yosef, R. (1998) In-hand identification guide to Palearctic
raptors. Int. Birdwatching Centre in Eilat. Tech. Publ. 7, 222 pp.
Cramp, S. & Simmons, K.E.L. (Eds.). (1980) Handbook of the birds of
Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Vol. 2. Hawks to Bustards.
Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, U.K.
Faaborg, J. (1988) Ornithology–an ecological approach. Prentice Hall,
U.S.A.
Fornasari, L. (1987) Le stazioni di inanellamento in Lombardia. Sitta 1,
143-163.
Frumkin, R., Pinshow, B. & Kleinhaus, S. (1995) A review of bird migration
over Israel. J. Ornithol. 136, 127-147.
Gross, M.R. & Charnov, E.L. (1980) Alternative male life histories in
bluegill sunfish. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. USA 77, 6937-6940.
Hagemeijer, W. & Blair, M. (Eds.): “The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding
Birds”. EBCC, Poyser.
Krebs, J.R. & Davies, N.B. (1987) An introduction to behavioural ecology.
Blackwell Scientific Publ., U. K.
Leisler, B. & Winkler, H. (1985) Ecomorphology. Current Ornithology 2,
155-186.
Miller, S.A. & Harley, J.P. (1992) Zoology. Wm. C. Brown Publ., U. S. A.
Mueller, H.C. & Meyer K. (1985) The evolution of reversed sexual dimorphism
in size–a comparative analysis of the Falconiformes
of the Western Palearctic. Current Ornithol. 2, 65-101.
Newton, I. (1979) Population ecology of raptors. T&AD Poyser.
Newton, I., Marquiss, M. & Village, A. (1983) Weights, breeding, and
survival in European Sparrowhawks. Auk 100, 344-354.
Newton, I. (1986) The Sparrowhawk. T&AD Poyser.
Norberg, U.M. (1981) Allometry of bat wings and legs and comparison
with bird wings. Phil. Trans. Royal Soc. London (B) 292, 359-398.
Parrish, P.J.R., Stoddard, J. & White, C.M. (1987) Sexually mosaic plumage
in a female American Kestrel. Condor 89, 911-913.
Safriel, U. (1968) Bird migration at Eilat, Israel. Ibis 110, 283-320.
Selander, R.K. (1966) Sexual dimorphism and differential niche utilization
in birds. Condor 68, 113-151.
Senar, J.C., Lleonart, J. & Metclafe, N.B. (1994) Wing-shape variation
between resident and transient Siskins (Carduelis spinus). J.
Avian Biol. 25, 50-54.
Shirihai, H. & Christie, D.A. (1992) Raptor migration at Eilat. Br. Birds
85, 141-186.
Storer, R.W. (1966) Sexual dimorphism and food habits in three North
American Accipiters. Auk 83, 423-436.
Tella, J.L., Donazar, J.A. & Hiraldo, F. (1996) Variable expression of sexually
mosaic plumage in female Lesser Kestrels. Condor 98, 643-
644.
Wallace, I. (1983) Birds of prey of Britain and Europe. Oxford University
Press, Oxford, U.K.
Wiklund, C.G. (1996) Body length and wing length provide univariate
estimates of overall body size in the Merlin. The Condor 98, 581-
588.
Wyllie, I. & Newton, I. (1994) Latitudinal variation in the body-size of
Sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus) within Britain. Ibis 136, 434-440.
Yosef, R. (1995) Spring 1994 raptor migration at Eilat, Israel. J. Raptor
Res. 29, 127-134.
Yosef, R. (1997) Clues to the migratory routes of the eastern flyway
of the Western Palearctics–ringing recoveries at Eilat, Israel
(I–Ciconiiformes, Charadriiformes, Coraciiformes, and Passeriformes).
Die Vogelwarte 39, 131-140.
Yosef, R. (1998) Clues to the migratory routes of the Western Palearctics
– ringing recoveries at Eilat, Israel (II–Falconiformes). Die
Vogelwarte 39, 203-208.
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How to Cite
Yosef, R., & Fornasari, L. (2015). A new female-like morph of juvenile male Levant Sparrowhawk (Accipiter brevipes) – Sexual mimicry to avoid intra-specific predation?. European Journal of Ecology, 1(1), 64-67. https://doi.org/10.1515/eje-2015-0008
