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First published online October 16, 2009
Journal of Experimental Biology 212, 3576-3582 (2009)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2009
doi: 10.1242/jeb.033654

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Methionine supplementation influences melanin-based plumage colouration in Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus, nestlings

Deseada Parejo^1,* and Nadia Silva²

¹ Department of Functional and Evolutionary Ecology, Estación Experimental de Zonas Áridas, CSIC, 04001 Almería, Spain
² Laboratoire Évolution et Diversité Biologique, UMR CNRS-UPS 5174, Université Paul Sabatier–Toulouse III, 31062 Toulouse, Cedex 9, France

^* Author for correspondence (parejo{at}eeza.csic.es)

Accepted 13 August 2009

The extent to which the expression of melanin-based plumage colouration in birds is genetically or environmentally determined is controversial. Here, we performed a between-nest design supplementation with either the sulphur amino acid DL-methionine or with water to investigate the importance of the non-genetic component of melanin-based plumage colouration in the Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus. Methionine affects growth and immunity, thus we aimed to modify nestling growth and immunity before feather development. Then, we measured the effect of the experiment on colouration of two melanin-based plumage patches of nestling kestrels. We found that methionine slowed down nestling growth through treatment administration and that nestlings compensated by speeding up their growth later. We did not find any effects of methionine on nestling immunity (i.e. lymphocyte counts, natural antibody levels or complement-mediated immunity). Effects on growth seemed to be mirrored by changes in nestling colouration in the two sexes: methionine-nestlings showed less intense brown plumage on their backs compared with control nestlings. These results provide support for a non-genetic determination of a melanin-based plumage patch in the two sexes of nestling kestrels.

Key words: colour, non-genetic determination, growth, immunity, melanin-based trait, nestling

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