Growth trajectories should be adapted to selective factors of each species’ environment. However, major shaping forces of growth and development are unclear, especially when studying several traits at once. Birds provide an ideal opportunity to analyze growth patterns across species due to there being enough available data. We tested the relative importance of nest predation risk, the number of care-givers, nest height, foraging substrate, clutch size, and latitude on growth patterns of passerine birds (Passeriformes) using phylogenetic comparative methods. Specifically, we studied the evolution of fledging time, average and peak growth rates, and relative development at fledging of body mass and tarsus, wing, and tail length. Using a comprehensive literature search and data quality control, we obtained data on growth in 231 species based on 295 populations. Species with long development in the nest grew slowly and had well-developed traits at fledging. Species breeding under high nest predation risk, building their nests close to the ground, and those living in northern temperate regions fledged early and grew fast, sometimes fledging with less developed body mass and traits critical for locomotion (tarsus, wing, and tail). On the other hand, the number of caring adults, clutch size, and species’ foraging substrate had very limited predictive value for growth patterns across passerine species. Shortening of the nestling period was a primary means of accelerating development (in relation to nest predation, nest height, and latitude), sometimes supplemented by higher peak growth rates of body mass, tarsus, and wing (especially in relation to latitude). Overall growth patterns of passerines were adaptively tuned to nest predation risk and nest height, with northern temperate species having especially short nestling periods and fast growth rates of body mass, tarsus, and wing.

中文翻译：

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适应和约束塑造了全球雀形目鸟类生长模式的演变

生长轨迹应适应每个物种环境的选择因素。然而，生长和发育的主要塑造力量尚不清楚，尤其是在同时研究多个性状时。由于有足够的可用数据，鸟类为分析跨物种的生长模式提供了理想的机会。我们使用系统发育比较方法测试了巢捕食风险、照顾者数量、巢高度、觅食基质、离合器大小和纬度对雀形目鸟类 (Passeriformes) 生长模式的相对重要性。具体来说，我们研究了羽化时间、平均和峰值增长率的演变，以及羽化时体重和跗骨、机翼和尾长的相对发展。使用全面的文献检索和数据质量控制，我们获得了基于 295 个种群的 231 个物种的生长数据。巢中发育时间长的物种生长缓慢，并且在雏鸟时具有发育良好的特征。在高巢捕食风险下繁殖的物种，在靠近地面的地方建造巢穴，以及生活在北部温带地区的物种早期发育并且生长迅速，有时发育不成熟的体重和对运动至关重要的特征（跗骨、翅膀和尾巴）。另一方面，有爱心的成虫数量、离合器大小和物种的觅食基质对雀形目物种的生长模式的预测价值非常有限。缩短筑巢期是加速发育的主要手段（与巢的捕食、巢高度和纬度有关），有时还辅以更高的体重、跗骨、和机翼（尤其是与纬度有关的）。雀形目的整体生长模式根据巢穴捕食风险和巢穴高度进行了适应性调整，北部温带物种的筑巢期特别短，体重、跗骨和翅膀的生长速度很快。