Whiter Cheeks: Key To A Five-star Partner, Says Study

Whiter Cheeks: Key To A Five-star Partner, Says Study

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RESEARCH

MALE BLUE TITS with whiter cheek feathers have more chance to mate with females of high quality, compared to their counterparts with duller cheeks.

According to a new study, whiter cheek feathers not only reveal to other blue tits what physical condition the birds are in – if the cheek feathers are bright white they are in good health – but indicate they were better able to overcome a parasitic infection during the previous year.