HERITABILITY OF TARSUS LENGTH IN CROSS-FOSTERED BROODS OF THE EUROPEAN STARLING (STURNUS-VULGARIS)

A cross-fostering experiment demonstrated that tarsus length of Europe an starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) was heritable. The tarsus length of th e foster-parent had no effect. A full-sib resemblance analysis showed that sibs were much more similar in tarsus length than explained by he ritability alone. This was partly due to an effect of female mating st atus on offspring tarsus length. When nestling growth was retarded in secondary females' nests due to reduced male assistance, the increased environmental variation in tarsus length masked the heritability.