Publication details
Indication of health in Grey partridge (Perdix perdix) ornamentation II: immunological traits
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2010 |
| Type | Article in Proceedings |
| Conference | Zoologické dny Praha 2010 |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Field | Zoology |
| Keywords | ornamental traits; immunological traits; antioxidation; health indicators |
| Description | The Grey partridge is a non-migratory terrestrial game-bird species. Being badly affected by the landscape changes brought by intensification of agricultural production, the species is now considered as endangered in central European countries. This state stimulated many attempts to reintroduce man-reared Grey partridges in the Czech Republic to support the free-living population. The success of this effort is, however, greatly dependent on the quality of the birds chosen for the release. Ornamental traits are known to serve as good health indicators. To assess the reliability of the health indication through ornamental traits in the Gray partridge, we investigated the relationship between multiple ornamental traits (dark brown melanin-based horseshoe on the breast plumage, orange red carotenoid-based eye spot) and several immunological traits (PHA skin swelling test, complement activity, haematological traits). Moreover, as carotenoids involved in ornamentation may also have, according to several hypotheses, some antioxidative function, we estimated the individual antioxidative capacity as well. In most of these traits we provide comparison of captive-held and free-living birds. |