Microscopic Analysis of the Plumulaceous Feather Characteristics of Cathartiformes and Accipitriformes in North America

• Published in: The Journal of raptor research Vol. 56; no. 1; pp. 75 - 88
• Main Authors: Coddington, Charles P. J, Dove, Carla J, Luther, David A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Raptor Research Foundation 28.02.2022
• Subjects: Accipitridae; Cathartidae; downy; feathers; FEATURE ARTICLES; microscopy; Pandionidae

Although variation in microscopic plumulaceous (downy) feather characters is known to be useful in taxonomic identifications of birds, the conserved characters unique to most avian orders remain understudied. We examined plumulaceous feather characters (morphometric and observed pigmentation pattern...