Iridescent structurally based coloration of eyespots correlates with mating success in the peacock
Abstract
Gaudy plumage coloration is a widespread ornamental trait in birds and thought to be sexually selected. Although much attention has been devoted to structural coloration reflecting in UV, the signaling function of structural colors lacking UV reflectance and those that exhibit iridescence coloration are poorly documented. The train of the peacock (Pavo cristatus), a classical example of a sexually selected trait, is composed of iridescent structurally colored eyespots not reflecting in UV. Until today, the role played by the structural color of the eyespots in female mate choice has never been investigated using spectrometry. We measured eyespot coloration from a stationary angle (static coloration) and the change in coloration resulting from different angles (iridescent coloration). We assessed coloration with reflectance spectrometry, and we analyzed reflectance spectra using 2 methods. First, we extracted the reflectance spectra shape descriptors hue, brightness, and chroma. Second, we computed color and brightness contrasts signaled by eyespot feathers, taking peafowl color visual sensitivity into account. Iridescence was estimated by the maximal change for all parameters. Brightness was correlated with male mating success. The maximal change in color contrast was correlated with both the frequency of male visitation by females and male mating success. These results suggest that peahens can use both static and dynamic (i.e., iridescent) aspects of plumage structural coloration as signals to detect and choose their mates.
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Indian peafowl have a complex courtship display in which males engage females with elongated train feathers that display iridescent colors and make mechanical sounds.
“Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) have a complex courtship display wherein males (peacocks) engage females (peahens) with elongated train (upper tail covert) feathers that display iridescent colors [10–12] and make mechanical sounds (S1 Movie) [13].”
From Biomechanics of the Peacock’s Display: How Feather Structure and Resonance Influence Multimodal Signaling (2016) · cites this paper as [11]
Peacocks that display eyespots with greater iridescence obtain more matings.
“peacocks that display eyespots with greater iridescence obtain more matings [11, 12]”
From Biomechanics of the Peacock’s Display: How Feather Structure and Resonance Influence Multimodal Signaling (2016) · cites this paper as [11]
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- Authors
- Loyau, A., Gomez, D., Moureau, B., Théry, M., Hart, N. S., Jalme, M. S., Bennett, A. T. D., & Sorci, G.
- Affiliations
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- University of Bristol (GB)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- Venue
- Behavioral Ecology
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2007-09-20
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1123-1131
- ISSN
- 1045-2249 (ISSN-L)
- 1465-7279
- OpenAlex
- W2114804484
- Cited by
- 121
- References
- 74
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 11 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 7.40
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Behavioral Ecology (publishedVersion)
- Explore Bristol Research (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- Deakin Research Online (Deakin University) (submittedVersion)
- HighWire Press Open Archive (submittedVersion)
- Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics › Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cell Biology › melanin and skin pigmentation
- Physical Sciences › Physics and Astronomy › Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics › Photonic Crystals and Applications
- Keywords
- iridescence, structural color, sexual selection, female mate choice, mating success, Pavo cristatus, plumage coloration, color contrast, brightness, ultraviolet reflectance
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