title: Sexy birds are superior at solving a foraging problem.
abstract: Yellow, red or orange carotenoid-based colorations in male birds are often a signal to prospecting females about body condition, health status and ability to find food. However, this general 'ability to find food' has never been defined. Here we show that more brightly ornamented individuals may also be more efficient when foraging in novel situations. The results highlight the fact that evolution may have provided females tools to evaluate cognitive abilities of the males.
authors: Behavioural and Evolutionary Ecology Research Unit (CSIC), Natural History Museum of Barcelona, 08003 Barcelona, Spain. fernandomateos@gmail.com
authors: Fernando
authors: F
authors: Mateos-Gonzalez
authors: Javier
authors: J
authors: Quesada
authors: Juan Carlos
authors: JC
authors: Senar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000502:physiology*; D003116:Color; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving