Ruby-crowned Kinglet ... Regulus calendula
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula, is one of North America's smallest birds. The red crown that you see here is usually hidden.Unless the bird is displaying for a female or, as is the case here, showing its agression towards an intruder on its territory, you would hardly see those red crown feathers unless you were looking at the bird from behind and slightly above. The testosterone level (yes, birds have testosterone, too) of this bird is most definitely at a high level.
Here's a few interesting facts about birds and ther colorful feathers you may or may not already know:
The bright red you see here in this little Kinglet's feathers and similiar bright colors like yellows and oranges that you see in other bird's feathers and beaks are made with carotenoid pigments. Unlike the black color you see in feathers which comes from melanin, a pigment that, birds can readily manufacture themselves, carotenoid pigments must be obtained from their diet. They cannot just manufacture it themselves. So, any time you (or, more importanly, a female bird) sees these intense colors it's a signal of just how well the male can find and make use of those carotenoid rich foods.
But, just because a bird finds and eats carotenoid rich foods doesn't mean it will have bright colored feathers because those same carotenoids are used to boost its immune system. In other words, just like for us humans, those carotenoids are good for its overall healthy development. So, if a bird has so much of it left over that it can afford to store it in its feathers, its a good sign of just how healthy it is! A female bird seeing these bright colors on display, then, would be well aware of just how good that male would be as a prospective mate ... both as far as genetic resistance to disease is concerned and also as a forager and provider to her young of those healthy foods.
If you want to further investigate these and other extremely interesting facts about birds, check out Bridget Stutchbury's The Bird Detective ...Investigating The Secret Lives Of Birds . If you like birds, its a fascinating read!
Ruby-crowned Kinglet ... Regulus calendula
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula, is one of North America's smallest birds. The red crown that you see here is usually hidden.Unless the bird is displaying for a female or, as is the case here, showing its agression towards an intruder on its territory, you would hardly see those red crown feathers unless you were looking at the bird from behind and slightly above. The testosterone level (yes, birds have testosterone, too) of this bird is most definitely at a high level.
Here's a few interesting facts about birds and ther colorful feathers you may or may not already know:
The bright red you see here in this little Kinglet's feathers and similiar bright colors like yellows and oranges that you see in other bird's feathers and beaks are made with carotenoid pigments. Unlike the black color you see in feathers which comes from melanin, a pigment that, birds can readily manufacture themselves, carotenoid pigments must be obtained from their diet. They cannot just manufacture it themselves. So, any time you (or, more importanly, a female bird) sees these intense colors it's a signal of just how well the male can find and make use of those carotenoid rich foods.
But, just because a bird finds and eats carotenoid rich foods doesn't mean it will have bright colored feathers because those same carotenoids are used to boost its immune system. In other words, just like for us humans, those carotenoids are good for its overall healthy development. So, if a bird has so much of it left over that it can afford to store it in its feathers, its a good sign of just how healthy it is! A female bird seeing these bright colors on display, then, would be well aware of just how good that male would be as a prospective mate ... both as far as genetic resistance to disease is concerned and also as a forager and provider to her young of those healthy foods.
If you want to further investigate these and other extremely interesting facts about birds, check out Bridget Stutchbury's The Bird Detective ...Investigating The Secret Lives Of Birds . If you like birds, its a fascinating read!