Among birds-of-paradise, good looks are not enough to win a mate
Tuesday, November 20, 2018 - 14:10
in Biology & Nature
Male birds-of-paradise are notorious for their wildly extravagant feather ornaments, complex calls, and shape-shifting dance moves—all evolved to attract a mate. New research published in the open-access journal PLOS Biology on November 20 suggests for the first time that female preferences drive the evolution of combinations of physical and behavioral traits that may also be tied to where the male does his courting: on the ground or up in the trees.