Comparison of plumages of White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus and Blackbird Turdus merula

Typeset version

 

TY  - JOUR
  - Davenport, J.a , O'Halloran, J.a , Hannah, F.b , McLaughlin, O.a , Smiddy, P.a
  - 2009
  - Waterbirds
  - Comparison of plumages of White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus and Blackbird Turdus merula
  - Validated
  - ()
  - 32
  - 1
  - 169
  - 178
  - This study compares the plumage of a single Eurasian White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus with that of three Common (European) Blackbirds Turdus merula (all road casualties). As expected, the Dipper had far more down and contour feathers (3,322) than the Blackbirds (mean 1,704), with Dipper down and contour feathers being significantly shorter than those of Blackbirds. However, contrary to published information, the plumage of dippers is not exceptionally dense; the mean follicle density of the Dipper was 59.2 follicles cm-2, that of the Blackbirds 58.661.7 follicles cm-2. Instead, the enhanced insulation of diving Dippers stems from a) much more extensive plumage (the apterylae between feather tracts are fully feathered, whilst naked in Blackbirds), b) substantial down cover of head (absent in Blackbirds), c) extensive down cover of wings. Much of the higher number of feathers in the Dipper is made up of contour feathers rather than down/semiplume feathers (the ratio between Dipper contour and down/semiplume feathers, 3.35:1, was similar to that of Blackbirds, 3.55:1), indicating an insulative function for contour feathers as well as down. Ultrastructural investigation showed that Dipper breast and back down was substantially finer (more complex) than in Blackbirds, but leg down, and contour feathers of the two species were indistinguishable.
  - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-77749273790;partnerID=40;md5=6422baa29eecf7737bc10f4d116d90f4
DA  - 2009/NaN
ER  - 
@article{V153446304,
   = {Davenport,  J.a  and  O'Halloran,  J.a  and  Hannah,  F.b  and  McLaughlin,  O.a  and  Smiddy,  P.a },
   = {2009},
   = {Waterbirds},
   = {Comparison of plumages of White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus and Blackbird Turdus merula},
   = {Validated},
   = {()},
   = {32},
   = {1},
  pages = {169--178},
   = {{This study compares the plumage of a single Eurasian White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus with that of three Common (European) Blackbirds Turdus merula (all road casualties). As expected, the Dipper had far more down and contour feathers (3,322) than the Blackbirds (mean 1,704), with Dipper down and contour feathers being significantly shorter than those of Blackbirds. However, contrary to published information, the plumage of dippers is not exceptionally dense; the mean follicle density of the Dipper was 59.2 follicles cm-2, that of the Blackbirds 58.661.7 follicles cm-2. Instead, the enhanced insulation of diving Dippers stems from a) much more extensive plumage (the apterylae between feather tracts are fully feathered, whilst naked in Blackbirds), b) substantial down cover of head (absent in Blackbirds), c) extensive down cover of wings. Much of the higher number of feathers in the Dipper is made up of contour feathers rather than down/semiplume feathers (the ratio between Dipper contour and down/semiplume feathers, 3.35:1, was similar to that of Blackbirds, 3.55:1), indicating an insulative function for contour feathers as well as down. Ultrastructural investigation showed that Dipper breast and back down was substantially finer (more complex) than in Blackbirds, but leg down, and contour feathers of the two species were indistinguishable.}},
   = {http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-77749273790;partnerID=40;md5=6422baa29eecf7737bc10f4d116d90f4},
  source = {IRIS}
}
AUTHORSDavenport, J.a , O'Halloran, J.a , Hannah, F.b , McLaughlin, O.a , Smiddy, P.a
YEAR2009
MONTH
JOURNAL_CODEWaterbirds
TITLEComparison of plumages of White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus and Blackbird Turdus merula
STATUSValidated
TIMES_CITED()
SEARCH_KEYWORD
VOLUME32
ISSUE1
START_PAGE169
END_PAGE178
ABSTRACTThis study compares the plumage of a single Eurasian White-throated Dipper Cinclus cinclus with that of three Common (European) Blackbirds Turdus merula (all road casualties). As expected, the Dipper had far more down and contour feathers (3,322) than the Blackbirds (mean 1,704), with Dipper down and contour feathers being significantly shorter than those of Blackbirds. However, contrary to published information, the plumage of dippers is not exceptionally dense; the mean follicle density of the Dipper was 59.2 follicles cm-2, that of the Blackbirds 58.661.7 follicles cm-2. Instead, the enhanced insulation of diving Dippers stems from a) much more extensive plumage (the apterylae between feather tracts are fully feathered, whilst naked in Blackbirds), b) substantial down cover of head (absent in Blackbirds), c) extensive down cover of wings. Much of the higher number of feathers in the Dipper is made up of contour feathers rather than down/semiplume feathers (the ratio between Dipper contour and down/semiplume feathers, 3.35:1, was similar to that of Blackbirds, 3.55:1), indicating an insulative function for contour feathers as well as down. Ultrastructural investigation showed that Dipper breast and back down was substantially finer (more complex) than in Blackbirds, but leg down, and contour feathers of the two species were indistinguishable.
PUBLISHER_LOCATION
ISBN_ISSN
EDITION
URLhttp://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-77749273790;partnerID=40;md5=6422baa29eecf7737bc10f4d116d90f4
DOI_LINK
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