Plumage evolution: Explaining the vivid colors of birds
Submitted by Chickowee on 05 Nov 2016.
Tropical birds are well known for their colorful appearance: vibrantly colored macaws, parakeets and parrots are widely considered to be the quintessential birds of this region. The popularity of these birds leads many to assume that tropical climates are home to a greater proportion of colorful birds than temperate climates. But do birds evolve to become more colorful when they move to the tropics? New research based on Australian birds provides insight into plumage evolution.
