Birds are very colorful animals in the animal kingdom. They get their bright colors from pigments called carotenoids, which they get from the plants they eat. Parrots, however, have a unique way of producing colorful pigments called psittacofulvins.
Recent studies on parrots and finches have helped scientists understand how birds use pigments to vary in color. For example, in parrots like the dusky lory, an enzyme called ALDH3A2 determines whether feathers are yellow or red.
In finches like the long-tailed finch, genes CYP2J19 and TTC39B play a role in changing the color of their bills from yellow to red by converting dietary carotenoids.
These studies show that just a few genes can make a big difference in the colors of birds. Evolution can create new species based on these color changes.
It’s important to protect the genetic diversity of bird species to ensure their survival. Every individual bird has a unique genetic makeup that has evolved over millions of years, leading to the diverse bird species we see today.
By Simon Griffith, Professor of Avian Behavioural Ecology, Macquarie University, and Daniel Hooper, Postdoctoral Scholar, Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, American Museum of Natural History
This article was originally published on The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons license.
Vocabulary List:
- Carotenoids /kəˈrɒtəˌnɔɪdz/ (noun): Pigments found in plants that give color to various organisms.
- Psittacofulvins /ˌsɪtəkoʊˈfʌlvɪnz/ (noun): A unique class of pigments found specifically in parrots.
- Enzyme /ˈɛnzaɪm/ (noun): A protein that acts as a catalyst to accelerate chemical reactions.
- Genetic /dʒəˈnɛtɪk/ (adjective): Relating to genes or heredity.
- Evolution /ˌɛvəˈluːʃən/ (noun): The gradual development of organisms over time through genetic changes.
- Diversity /daɪˈvɜrsɪti/ (noun): The variety of different species in a given ecosystem.
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