Learn how birds chirping near your feeder get their rainbow of colorful feathers, how they serve them, and why we perceive them the way we do. As one might expect from the amazing diversity of colors and patterns exhibited by more than 10,000 bird species found in the world, birds can see color. The colors in the feathers of a bird are formed in two different ways, from either pigments or from light refraction caused by the structure of the feather.
Learn how birds get their amazing colors from different types of pigments, biochromes, and structural features. Discover how feather colors adapt to different environments, communicate signals, and vary with age and sex. Learn about the science behind bird coloration, from pigments and feather structures to genetics and evolution.
Discover the different types and functions of bird colors, from iridescence to camouflage, and how they vary among species. Birds use two types of pigments to create their feather patterns: melanins, which are under cellular control, and carotenoids, which are from diet. Most birds with complex patterns rely on melanins, while some exceptions have carotenoid.
The iridescent ruby-red throat of an Anna's Hummingbird, the stunningly bright blues and yellows of the (aptly-named) Blue-and-yellow Macaw... admit it, you get color envy every time you see a flashy bird. But have you ever stopped to think about how these creatures get to be so dazzling? It's not just an abstract question.
Birds rely on their coloration and feathers to communicate with. The other way birds acquire their appearance is through structural colors, which result from the interaction of light with the microscopic structures in feathers. Seasonal color changes, often seen during molting, help birds adapt to different environments, providing camouflage or signaling readiness for breeding.
Juvenile birds usually have different plumage than adults, which can reduce aggression from older birds and increase their survival chances. Ranging from simple browns to eye-popping oranges and greens, birds have some of the most unique colors in the animal kingdom. But what causes such a wide range of color to manifest within them? Discover how birds get their feather colors through pigments and structural coloration.
Learn about melanin, carotenoids, and how feather structure creates iridescence.