Serge:

I was also thinking about adverse effects, specially during the mating
period. Wouldn't these disks be consider as "inaesthetic" by the marked
birds' potential mates?


Chris Hill:

Well, not necessarily. Or, at least, there might be an equal chance that
the disks would be considered especially attractive, as with the
well-documented color band effect in captive zebra finches (_Taeniopygia_
_guttata_ to you, of course, Serge :-)). Male zebies with red bands were
significantly more successful attracting mates than males with no bands.
Green bands were a bit of a handicap, I think, though.


Lisa Smith:

Hmmmm, just another fascinating example of how we humans are affecting the
course of evolution.... Has anyone read _The Beak of the Finch_?

---Lisa

___________________________________________________
Lisa M. Smith, Seattle WA <subplot at u.washington.edu>