Talk:Plumage

Merge
I don't have any particular objection to the proposed merge. However, I do think the slew of articles about bird feathers needs a bit of sorting out. We already have feather, flight feather and down feather as well as plumage. There may be others. Maybe some consolidation is in order, though I am not proposing that everything be lumped. Maias (talk) 04:07, 14 July 2009 (UTC)

I think it should be merged with the article on "albinism" instead. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 193.40.8.169 (talk) 11:09, 15 April 2010 (UTC)

I think it should be merged with the other "feather" articals because I would hate to scrounge for informationCheesedude2000 (talk) 10:52, 13 May 2011 (UTC)

How is "eclipse plumage" different from "non-breeding plumage"
? 71.198.34.87 (talk) 18:15, 11 October 2009 (UTC)
 * I think they mean pretty much the same thing. Maias (talk) 03:39, 12 October 2009 (UTC)

Albinism
The section on albinism needs a bit of work - its full of contradictions due to a misunderstanding of what albinism is, and reliance on an outdated source. The opening part states that albinism "...involves loss of colour in all parts including the iris of the eyes, bills, skin, legs and feet. It is usually the result of a genetic mutation causing the absence of tyrosinase, an enzyme essential for melanin synthesis." This is factually correct. Good so far.

But then in the rest of the section it contradicts this and states repeatedly that albinism sometimes does not affect all parts of the bird, which is factually incorrect. e.g. Its says albinism may be "partial", "imperfect" or "incomplete". While partial replacement of normal coloration with white feathers is often noted, in those cases it is NOT albinism. ie. it is not a genetic fault resulting in the absence of tyrosinase, which would cause complete loss of color due to the inability to produce pigment, but instead it is a fault in the tyrosinase pathways or expression of pigment, which means that although pigment can clearly be manufactured in a bird's tissues (because tyrosinase IS present) it is not being produced normally or at all in some tissues, or is not being distributed to target structures. I note that the reference given is JK Terres' paper from 1980 - outdated and, even at the time, incorrect. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.46.251.127 (talk) 10:50, 21 June 2012 (UTC)


 * Surely albinism is the absence, not loss, of colour? Andy Mabbett ( Pigsonthewing ); Talk to Andy; Andy's edits 11:56, 30 June 2024 (UTC)

Another abnormality
It seems to be worthy to mention "Hen feathering in cocks" as another abnormality in the plumage. I inserted this topic as a third level headline within "Abnormal plumages" Section, --Cacucho (talk) 00:46, 1 October 2012 (UTC).