The Wild Guide

Colour coding and the mating game

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Last month, we looked at how bright colours are used by some animals as a defence mechanism. This month, as summer moves into full swing, and with the colours of the rainbow around us “so pretty in the sky,” I would like to explore colour from a ‘bird’s eye’ perspective.

We are all familiar with the jewelled hues of many of our bird species, from the iridescent shimmer of Sunbirds to the vibrant reds and greens of Turacos. Yet how do they get there, and why?

It is only recently that scientists have begun to decode the complex meaning and purpose of the myriad shades displayed in the avian realm. Colour is a great way of signalling, and in bird courtship, where females generally select their mates, the colour and intensity of the male’s plumage can influence her choice. When it comes to the colour of an individual bird, there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the vividness of a male’s feathers, or the contrast in the colours in his plumage, can be a good indicator of his fitness as a mate.