La Tour du Valat

Institut de recherche pour la conservation des zones humides méditerranéennes

Titre :	Has the plumage of juvenile Honey-buzzard evolved to mimic that of Common Buzzard?
Auteurs :	Daniel G. Duff, Auteur
Type de document :	Article
Dans :	British Birds (99(3) MAR 2006)
Article en page(s) :	118-128
Résumé :	juvenile Honey-buzzards Pernis apivorus exhibit a striking resemblance to Common Buzzards Buteo buteo, even though the two species are not closely related. Both species, but particularly Honey-buzzards, rather frequently fall prey to Northern Goshawks Accipiter gentilis on their Western Palearctic temperate-forest breeding grounds. The author suggests that the juvenile plumage of Honey-buzzard may have evolved to resemble the plumages of the better-defended and more abundant Common Buzzard, in response to this predation pressure. Data in support of this hypothesis are presented and discussed here. These relationships are placed in the context of previously proposed mimicry relationships involving Pernis species.

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