Why do some raptors, like the Red-tailed Hawk, have more than one color morph? Jen Walsh, Irby Lovette and the Red-tailed Hawk Project’s Bryce Robinson outline what is currently known in a publication now out in the journal Ornithology titled ‘Plumage polymorphism in raptors’. The paper details the presence of the trait in each raptor order and family, the hypotheses that have been tested to explain why it exists in some species, research focus by family, and the untouched potential of this group to continue to provide insights into why we see this pattern in raptors, predators, and animals in general.
This review provides great context for the work of the Red-tailed Hawk Project. Despite some fascinating patterns in the distribution of plumage polymorphism in the species, there has been very little work to try to understand what might explain its presence and absence in each population. The information outlined in this paper provides a helpful structure for what to consider and how to approach our investigation into factors that might explain plumage polymorphism in the Red-tailed Hawk.
We have already begun our work to put together an understanding of plumage polymorphism in the species, so stay tuned as we share our findings!
In the meantime, study up on what might be involved by reading the paper at https://doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukae026.
Red-tailed Hawk Project 