Transfer effect
Encyclopedia
The transfer effect is a term used in ornithology
to describe the phenomenon observed among the bowerbirds, in which there is a continuum from physically more ornamented species which construct rudimentary bowers (mating display nests), to physically drabber species which construct remarkably elaborate and colorful bowers.
The postulation is that there is an evolutionary "transfer" of ornamentation, as a sign of male mating health, from physical characteristics to behavioral ones — with the benefit of reducing the visibility of the male and thereby its vulnerability to predation.
Ornithology
Ornithology is a branch of zoology that concerns the study of birds. Several aspects of ornithology differ from related disciplines, due partly to the high visibility and the aesthetic appeal of birds...
to describe the phenomenon observed among the bowerbirds, in which there is a continuum from physically more ornamented species which construct rudimentary bowers (mating display nests), to physically drabber species which construct remarkably elaborate and colorful bowers.
The postulation is that there is an evolutionary "transfer" of ornamentation, as a sign of male mating health, from physical characteristics to behavioral ones — with the benefit of reducing the visibility of the male and thereby its vulnerability to predation.