plumage

Birds feathers: Migratory species may have paler plumage to help them keep cool

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Overheating is a serious issue for birds flying long distances, and paler plumage that reflects more of the sun’s heat may be one of the ways they cope Life 6 December 2021 By Michael Le Page Migrating snow geese at a misty lake in Pennsylvania Delmas Lehman/Shutterstock A study of nearly all of the 10,000 … Read more

Animal behaviour: Plumage colour predicts whether turkeys are bold or fearful

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Domesticated turkeys in Nigeria come in a variety of colours, and those with lavender-coloured feathers are more fearful than black-feathered birds Life 10 December 2021 By Christa Lesté-Lasserre A domestic turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) with dark plumage Graham Prentice/Alamy The feather colours of certain kinds of turkeys can predict how they cope with life on the … Read more