Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks

Abstract Camouflage is a widespread strategy to increase survival. The cryptic plumage colouration of precocial chicks improves camouflage often through disruptive colouration. Here, we examine whether and how fringed neoptile feathers conceal the outline of chicks. We first conducted a digital expe...

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Autores principales:	Veronika A. Rohr, Tamara Volkmer, Dirk Metzler, Clemens Küpper
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	Nature Portfolio 2021
Materias:	Medicine R Science Q
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/085991ece88e4a01a6e558de41b2dea1
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:085991ece88e4a01a6e558de41b2dea12021-12-02T15:54:05ZNeoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks10.1038/s41598-021-84227-42045-2322https://doaj.org/article/085991ece88e4a01a6e558de41b2dea12021-03-01T00:00:00Zhttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-84227-4https://doaj.org/toc/2045-2322Abstract Camouflage is a widespread strategy to increase survival. The cryptic plumage colouration of precocial chicks improves camouflage often through disruptive colouration. Here, we examine whether and how fringed neoptile feathers conceal the outline of chicks. We first conducted a digital experiment to test two potential mechanisms for outline concealment through appendages: (1) reduction of edge intensity and (2) luminance transition. Local Edge Intensity Analysis showed that appendages decreased edge intensity whereas a mean luminance comparison revealed that the appendages created an intermediate transition zone to conceal the object’s outline. For edge intensity, the outline diffusion was strongest for a vision system with low spatial acuity, which is characteristic of many mammalian chick predators. We then analysed photographs of young snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) chicks to examine whether feathers increase outline concealment in a natural setting. Consistent with better camouflage, the outline of digitally cropped chicks with protruding feathers showed lower edge intensities than the outline of chicks without those feathers. However, the observed mean luminance changes did not indicate better concealment. Taken together, our results suggest that thin skin appendages such as neoptile feathers improve camouflage. As skin appendages are widespread, this mechanism may apply to many organisms.Veronika A. RohrTamara VolkmerDirk MetzlerClemens KüpperNature PortfolioarticleMedicineRScienceQENScientific Reports, Vol 11, Iss 1, Pp 1-10 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	Medicine R Science Q
spellingShingle	Medicine R Science Q Veronika A. Rohr Tamara Volkmer Dirk Metzler Clemens Küpper Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
description	Abstract Camouflage is a widespread strategy to increase survival. The cryptic plumage colouration of precocial chicks improves camouflage often through disruptive colouration. Here, we examine whether and how fringed neoptile feathers conceal the outline of chicks. We first conducted a digital experiment to test two potential mechanisms for outline concealment through appendages: (1) reduction of edge intensity and (2) luminance transition. Local Edge Intensity Analysis showed that appendages decreased edge intensity whereas a mean luminance comparison revealed that the appendages created an intermediate transition zone to conceal the object’s outline. For edge intensity, the outline diffusion was strongest for a vision system with low spatial acuity, which is characteristic of many mammalian chick predators. We then analysed photographs of young snowy plover (Charadrius nivosus) chicks to examine whether feathers increase outline concealment in a natural setting. Consistent with better camouflage, the outline of digitally cropped chicks with protruding feathers showed lower edge intensities than the outline of chicks without those feathers. However, the observed mean luminance changes did not indicate better concealment. Taken together, our results suggest that thin skin appendages such as neoptile feathers improve camouflage. As skin appendages are widespread, this mechanism may apply to many organisms.
format	article
author	Veronika A. Rohr Tamara Volkmer Dirk Metzler Clemens Küpper
author_facet	Veronika A. Rohr Tamara Volkmer Dirk Metzler Clemens Küpper
author_sort	Veronika A. Rohr
title	Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
title_short	Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
title_full	Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
title_fullStr	Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
title_full_unstemmed	Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
title_sort	neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks
publisher	Nature Portfolio
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/085991ece88e4a01a6e558de41b2dea1
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Neoptile feathers contribute to outline concealment of precocial chicks

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