Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Apr;98(2):540-566.
doi: 10.1111/brv.12918. Epub 2022 Nov 24.

Feather function and the evolution of birds

Ryan S Terrill  1   2 , Allison J Shultz  3
Affiliations
Review

Feather function and the evolution of birds

Ryan S Terrill et al. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

The ability of feathers to perform many functions either simultaneously or at different times throughout the year or life of a bird is integral to the evolutionary history of birds. Many studies focus on single functions of feathers, but any given feather performs many functions over its lifetime. These functions necessarily interact with each other throughout the evolution and development of birds, so our knowledge of avian evolution is incomplete without understanding the multifunctionality of feathers, and how different functions may act synergistically or antagonistically during natural selection. Here, we review how feather functions interact with avian evolution, with a focus on recent technological and discovery-based advances. By synthesising research into feather functions over hierarchical scales (pattern, arrangement, macrostructure, microstructure, nanostructure, molecules), we aim to provide a broad context for how the adaptability and multifunctionality of feathers have allowed birds to diversify into an astounding array of environments and life-history strategies. We suggest that future research into avian evolution involving feather function should consider multiple aspects of a feather, including multiple functions, seasonal wear and renewal, and ecological or mechanical interactions. With this more holistic view, processes such as the evolution of avian coloration and flight can be understood in a broader and more nuanced context.

Keywords: adaptation; avian evolution; feathers; functional evolution; hierarchical modules; integumentary function.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

    1. Amat, J. A., Rendón, M. A., Garrido-Fernández, J., Garrido, A., Rendón-Martos, M. & Pérez-Gálvez, A. (2011). Greater flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus use uropygial secretions as make-up. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 65(4), 665-673.
    1. Andersson, S., Örnborg, J. & Andersson, M. (1998). Ultraviolet sexual dimorphism and assortative mating in blue tits. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 265(1395), 445-450.
    1. Armstrong, E. A. (1954). The ecology of distraction display. The British Journal of Animal Behaviour 2(4), 121-135.
    1. Atalo, K. & Gashe, B. A. (1993). Protease production by a thermophilic Bacillus species (P-001A) which degrades various kinds of fibrous proteins. Biotechnology Letters 15(11), 1151-1156.
    1. Badyaev, A. V., Hill, G. E., Dunn, P. O. & Glen, J. C. (2001). Plumage color as a composite trait: developmental and functional integration of sexual ornamentation. The American Naturalist 158(3), 221-235.

LinkOut - more resources