Why do some animals develop bold and bright ornaments, while others do not? And what do those traits communicate? Ornamental traits are often seen as signs of strength or quality, but a growing body of evidence is showing that mothers can alter them before their young are even born, thus shaping how their offspring look and behave later in life. Matt Jenkins, a PhD candidate at The University of Arizona studying in Renée Duckworth’s lab will share recent findings from his dissertation where he studies the developmental links between sexually selected traits and behavior in bluebirds across Montana, Arizona and New Mexico. (Limit of 100)
Western Bluebird by David Quanrud