In fact, this question that we all ask ourselves is scientific “amendment” It has a short answer. However, when we look at the variation of this color diversity according to the region, we still have question marks in our minds. Let’s solve this together!

Wherever we are in the world, these types of birds that we see everywhere actually use their colors and ornaments to influence and court the opposite sex apart from adaptation. Contrary to popular belief, the breed that does this male not female What if we say it is?

Leaving aside the game to impress the female, they also use these features to camouflage themselves in the environment.

Considering the bird species Males have a wider variety of colors than females. We see. Male birds make greater use of the variety of colors to hide from predatory species and to camouflage themselves. For example, budgerigars and parrots, which we all know well, are at the top of the group of tropical birds. These birds have become a symbol of the region.

Do birds evolve to be more “colorful” when they travel to the tropics?

“Birds have magic? How could they do such a thing!” Let’s review the possible answers before we think about it. Because recent research on this topic sheds light on the evolution of feathers. On his trip to the Galapagos Charles Darwinwho collected mockingbird specimens from several islands in this region found that only one species of mockingbird lived on each island.

Over time, following the separation of their regions, these birds developed different characteristics in terms of colour, behavior and beak shape. This discovery begs the question: How does a species’ region affect its evolution?

Do birds in the tropics really evolve to become more colorful?

To find the answer to this question University of Okinawa Science and Technology Institute, Dr. Nicholas Friedman It helps. As part of his research with his colleague Vladimír Remeš from Palacký University in the Czech Republic, Friedman embarked on a trip to Australia. His goal was to learn the answer to this question that we also wondered.

Australia is a very special region, home to a diversity of life found nowhere else in the world. Australia has been around for so long isolation from the rest of the world It also makes it an excellent region for evolutionary studies.

Birds that showed up in Australia started to evolve here.

Friedman began his work researching bird specimens from various parts of Australia at the Australian National Wildlife Collection. A total of two large songbird families 137 different species investigated. According to the study, songbirds that emerged in Australia about 30 million years ago began to diversify here before spreading to the rest of the world.

The family relationships of the bird species Friedman studied were compared according to a DNA-based tree of evolution. Then a special instrument was used to measure the colors in certain parts of the birds. Birds can see a wider range of colors than humans, and many in fact In addition to the “visible” spectrum, it can also see colors in the UV (ultraviolet) spectrum.

Therefore This difference in color may be more pronounced for birds than for humans. Finally, he used satellite data to describe the geographic area in which the species lived. He looked at the vegetation, rainfall and humidity of each region and combined this data with evolutionary relationships and color measurements.

The results of the study show that birds in the tropics do not develop colorful plumage compared to their cousins ​​living in more temperate climates.

“If you look at the birds in the tropics, of course many colorful bird species stand out. However, there are generally more species in these areas; which means there are actually as many little brown birds as there are living in those regions. Birds in the harsh, arid climate of Australia’s interior were more graceful than those on the lush, wet tropical islands.” explains Friedman. Desert birds have to fight with their peers during the rainy season. develops colors to attract mates faster are considered possible.

Is better camouflage the only explanation for this variety of colors?

migratory birds

While migratory birds are lighter in color, birds in tropical areas with more rainfall tend to be darker in color. “There is a very clear pattern” says Friedman in his report. “While birds living in the desert have more shades of gray on their backs, this color turns dark green in forest birds; We think they are trying to blend into the background.” This is also an example of natural selection, where the better camouflaged survive and pass on their genes. Friedman explains, “This is the basis of the diversity of life forms and the evolution of living things with different characteristics.” So the answer to the question is “yes”. The fact that they adapt better to the region they are in seems to be the mainstay of this color diversity.

Another reason migratory birds are not colored is protection from the heat.

As a result of research developing lighter feather coloursis seen as one of the possible ways to avoid overheating during migration. In addition, as a result of research, it has been found that feather colors become lighter as birds migrate.

In short, while adapting to the region they are in, at the same time diversity in food source can also be a factor in this color balance. In the rainforest, having colors that stand out from the crowd is a way to differentiate yourself from other species as well.