Evaluate the ubiquity of captive wing shape phenotypes
The interaction between feather ID × species × provenance had
significant explanatory power for the length of the feathers I measured
(see R Markdown). Significant differences between captive/wild specimens
in the length of at least one flight feather occurred in one quarter of
sampled species (Figure 1). Relative to wild conspecifics: (i) captive
budgerigars Melopsittacus undulatus had longer secondary
feathers, (ii) captive turquoise parrots Neophema pulchella had a
longer P10, (iii) captive princess parrots Polytelis alexandraehad a longer P10, P9 and P3, and a shorter P8, (iv) captive star finchesBathilda ruficauda had shorter secondary feathers. Although
non-significant, the length of P10 in captive-born individuals tended
toward being either longer (e.g. zebra finches Taeniopygia
guttata , Gouldian finches Chloebia gouldiae ) or shorter (e.g.
sunset parrot Neopsephotus bourkii , red-throated parrotfinchErythrura psittacea ). LW and LPnever differed between captive and wild specimens, regardless of whether
or not there were differences in the lengths of other feathers in the
wing.