vrijdag 29 februari 2008

Fashion Found Fleeting in Birds

Females are thought to have simple desires in the animal kingdom — showy tail feathers, big horns, maybe a catchy song — so males tend to exaggerate such ornaments to outdo their competitors.

But now it seems trendiness plays a role. What is sexy among male songbirds on the Great Plains, whether it be flamboyant plumage or a large beak, changes depending on what females consider fashionable that year, new research shows.

These findings shed new light on how the battle of the sexes can ultimately shape a species.


Lees meer: LiveScience

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