Are plumage colour and song redundant ornaments in great tits (<i>Parus major</i>)? It depends on the colour

Abstract According to current theory, the development of different conspicuous ornaments may provide multiple, redundant or unreliable information. However, multiple visual and acoustic traits have not often been tested at same time. In this study, we analyse whether black tie size, yellow breast colour indexes (chroma hue) song parameters (repertoire strophe length, maximum minimum frequency) are inter-correlated in male great tits (Parus major). We found that males with larger ties sang greater repertoires had higher frequencies, providing did correlate hue chroma coloration, supporting idea they convey units Results therefore stress since plumaged patches can transmit very information, bird will plumage coloration depending on patch considered, an aspect rarely taken into account previous studies relating traits.