Beauty from the bottom up

Flamingos apply natural make-up to their feathers to stand out and attract mates, according to a new study by Juan Amat, from the Estacion Biologica de Donana in Seville, Spain, and colleagues. Their research is the first to demonstrate that birds transfer the colour pigments (carotenoids) from the secretions of their uropygial gland for cosmetic reasons. The uropygial or preen gland is found in the majority of birds and is situated near the base of the tail. The study is published online in Behavioural Ecology and Sociobiology, a Springer journal...

Read the whole article on

More from