Why Are Birds Different Colors?

There are thousands of species of birds and with great numbers come great biodiversity. Birds are among the most colorful animals on the planet so today we're taking a look at how birds use science to employ a wide range of chemical and physical tricks when it comes to feathers.


Writer/Producer:
Kirk Zamieroski

Scientific consultants:
Darcy Gentlman, Ph.D.
Kevin McGraw, Ph.D.

Music:
Roberto Daglio - Com Todo Meu Amor
Pure___natural - Instand Love

Sources:

How many bird species - https://www.amnh.org/about-the-museum/press-center/new-study-doubles-the-estimate-of-bird-species-in-the-world

Bird Colors - https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/how-birds-make-colorful-feathers/

Ultraviolet - https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/50/10/854/233996

Parrots - https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscientist/2018/07/06/parrots-use-chemistry-and-physics-to-create-brilliantly-colorful-plumage/#4780cfbf75f7

Superblack birds - https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/01/super-black-is-the-new-black/549869/

Ultraviolet puffins - https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/04/sharks-puffins-animals-biofluorescence-oceans/

Structural colors ­- https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5ecf/4a98f2ff3d3fe918143b13d99dad30e7c507.pdf

Carotenoids - https://www.fasebj.org/doi/pdf/10.1096/fasebj.4.12.2394316

Flamingos - https://www.livescience.com/32968-why-are-flamingos-pink.html

Canaries - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2015/09/24/027532.full.pdf

Carotenoid metabolism in bird - https://www-fasebj-org.ezproxy1.lib.asu.edu/doi/pdf/10.1096/fasebj.4.12.2394316

Melanins in brids -https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2435.2005.01032.x

Birds eating pigments - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/for-some-species-you-really-are-what-you-eat-40747423/

Porphyrins - https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/018/01/0012-0021

Structural Coloration - https://www.nature.com/articles/srep18317#ref24

OWL UV source - https://birdtrek.smugmug.com/Animals/Northern-Saw-whet-Owls/i-DmZ8VGF

Prochain épisode

S06E15 - White, Green, Black, and Oolong Tea: What's the Difference?