Birds: Feather Color Is More Than Skin Deep
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 - 08:28
in Biology & Nature
Where do birds get their red feathers from? According to a new article, the red carotenoids that give the common crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) its red coloration are produced in the liver, not the skin, as previously thought. Their findings have implications for understanding the evolution of color signaling in bird species.