As if paradise birds are not beautiful enough … they also appear to have luminous springs

Outslovers – that term comes to mind when you see these photos. Because as if paradise birds are not yet nice enough with their graceful plume, their bright colors and their sensational courts, they now also have to have luminous springs again. Biologists of the American Museum of Natural History studied the bird of paradise feathers in the collection (some of which are more than 200 years old) and discovered that there are no less than 37 of the 45 species biofluorescence: the phenomenon in which organisms slightly absorb, transform and transform and transform and Then broadcast in a different color. For male paradise birds, this appearance could be important to intimidate partners and competitors, Write the researchers In the magazine Royal Society Open Science. For humans, the lighting light is not perceptible with the naked eye, but with special cameras.

The fact that luminous bird feathers were being searched for at all to the curator of the museum, John Sparks. From home, Spark’s ichthyologist – fish expert – and so he initially developed a method to be able to measure biofluorescence in fishing. That approach worked so well that he subsequently expanded his working area to sharks, turtles and birds.

Inside of the beak

Which part of the plumage lights differs per species, but in general it is about the inside of the beak, the legs, the head, the neck and belly – at least with the men. In female birds of paradise, biofluorescence is much less present and it occurs at most on the chest and belly.

The researchers are not really surprised that paradise birds have these flashy feathers: the birds are masters in appearance. Moreover, they live near the equator, in Indonesia, among others, where there is no shortage of sunlight: and UV radiation and blue light ensure that biofluorescence occurs.

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