For Male Cardinals, the Redder the Better
Feather brightness may indicate superior genes in species that sport crimson feathers.
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Male Northern Cardinals, Scarlet Tanagers, and House Finches all have striking red plumage that鈥檚 thought to play a role in attracting mates. To develop red feathers, they need to eat seeds or fruit containing pigment molecules called yellow carotenoids. Their bodies then change those pigments from yellow to red.
Males with the brightest red feathering tend to have the best luck with the females. Scientists think that a male鈥檚 redness signals to females that he has just what it takes to help produce superior offspring.听
But just because a male is a brilliant shade of red, does that mean he鈥檚 stronger or more fit than his duller-colored competitors?听
Scientists think one answer may lie in a male鈥檚 mitochondria, the energy powerhouses inside the body鈥檚 cells. Research indicates that red carotenoids are concentrated in the mitochondria. And bright coloring is linked to mitochondrial performance.
In general, birds with the brightest color also tend to have better immunity, winter survival, foraging ability, and skill at avoiding predators.
So those bright red males may not be all feathers and no substance after all.
Today鈥檚 show brought to you by the Bobolink Foundation.
For BirdNote, I鈥檓 Michael Stein.
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Producer: John Kessler
Executive Producer: Sallie Bodie
Editor: Ashley Ahearn
Associate Producer: Ellen Blackstone
Producer: Mark Bramhill
Bird sounds provided by The Macaulay Library of Natural Sounds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, New York. Northern Cardinal, ML49062, recorded by Gregory Budney
BirdNote鈥檚 theme was composed and played by Nancy Rumbel and John Kessler.
漏 2020 BirdNote听听 June 2020听听 Narrator: Michael Stein
ID#听 plumage-05-2020-06-23听听听 plumage-06
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