Telomere length in relation to colour polymorphism across life stages in the tawny owl
Telomere erosion has been proposed to be tightly associated with senescence, environmental stressors and life history trade-offs. How telomere dynamics vary across life stages and especially in relation to (heritable) phenotypic traits is still unclear. The tawny owl Strix aluco display a highly heritable melanin-based colour polymorphism, a grey and a brown morph, linked to several fitness traits