Birds exhibit a wide variety of colouration, even within the same species. Barn owls are characterised by melanic colour polymorphism, varying from pure white to reddish brown with black spots on their ventral body. In addition, other phenotypic traits, such as stress response and the number of parasites in young chicks, are linked to this polymorphism. I am interested in understanding the genetic mechanisms responsible for this colour polymorphism, how it is maintained, and how it is linked to other physiological traits in owls.
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