Differences in avian eggshell pigmentation could be an honest signal of female quality that males use to inform their nestling provisioning effort. We investigated whether among-individual variation in protoporphyrin-based eggshell pigmentation in house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) reflects female fitness-associated traits and whether males use that information. Females laying lighter clutches were older and larger than females laying darker clutches. Nestlings hatching from lighter clutches had greater size-corrected mass on post-hatch day 11, a measure that strongly predicts survival and recruitment to the breeding population. To test whether male provisioning effort responds to clutch pigmentation, we used a reciprocal clutch cross-fostering design, swapping dark with light clutches and light with dark; in controls, we swapped light with light clutches and dark with dark. Shortly before hatching, clutches were returned to their original nest to avoid confounding effects of nestling quality on male provisioning. Contrary to the sexual selection hypothesis, clutch pigmentation had no effect on male provisioning. Males were probably able to observe eggshell pigmentation and thus had information about female quality, but they did not use this information to modulate their nestling provisioning. This may be because of constraints on species-specific reproductive opportunities, or because variation in eggshell protoporphyrin serves other functions.

中文翻译：

---

点点滴滴：禽蛋壳色素沉着，女性状况和父亲的调配努力。

禽蛋壳色素沉着的差异可能是雌性品质的真实信号，雄性则用来告知其雏鸟的配置工作。我们调查了ren中基于原卟啉的蛋壳色素沉着的个体差异（Troglodytes aedon）是否反映了女性与健身相关的特征，以及男性是否使用该信息。雌性较轻的离合器比雌性较深色的离合器年龄更大且更大。孵化后第11天，较轻的离合器孵化出的雏鸟的体重校正后的质量会更大，该指标强烈预测了成活率和对繁殖种群的吸收。为了测试男性的调配努力是否对离合器的色素沉着做出反应，我们使用了互惠的离合器交叉培育设计，将浅色离合器与浅色离合器互换，将浅色与深色离合器互换。在控件中 我们将光与光的离合器互换，将黑暗与黑暗交换。在孵化前不久，将离合器放回原来的巢中，以免雏鸟质量对雄性配偶产生混杂影响。与性别选择假设相反，离合器的色素沉着对男性的配偶没有影响。雄性可能能够观察到蛋壳色素沉着，因此可以获得有关雌性品质的信息，但他们没有使用此信息来调节其雏鸟的配置。这可能是由于特定物种生殖机会受到限制，或者是由于蛋壳原卟啉具有其他功能。离合器的色素沉着对男性供应没有影响。雄性可能能够观察到蛋壳色素沉着，因此可以获得有关雌性品质的信息，但他们没有使用此信息来调节其雏鸟的配置。这可能是由于特定物种生殖机会受到限制，或者是由于蛋壳原卟啉具有其他功能。离合器的色素沉着对男性供应没有影响。雄性可能能够观察到蛋壳色素沉着，因此可以获得有关雌性品质的信息，但他们没有使用此信息来调节其雏鸟的配置。这可能是由于特定物种生殖机会受到限制，或者是由于蛋壳原卟啉具有其他功能。