There are thousands of species of birds and with great numbers come great biodiversity. Birds are among the most colorful animals on the planet so today we're taking a look at how birds use science to employ a wide range of chemical and physical tricks when it comes to feathers.


Writer/Producer:
Kirk Zamieroski

Scientific consultants:
Darcy Gentlman, Ph.D.
Kevin McGraw, Ph.D.

Music:
Roberto Daglio Com Todo Meu Amor
Pure___natural Instand Love

Sources:

How many bird species https://www.amnh.org/aboutthemuseum...

Bird Colors https://academy.allaboutbirds.org/how...

Ultraviolet https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/a...

Parrots https://www.forbes.com/sites/grrlscie...

Superblack birds https://www.theatlantic.com/science/a...

Ultraviolet puffins https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2...

Structural colors ­ https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5ecf...

Carotenoids https://www.fasebj.org/doi/pdf/10.109...

Flamingos https://www.livescience.com/32968why...

Canaries https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorx...

Carotenoid metabolism in bird https://wwwfasebjorg.ezproxy1.lib.a...

Melanins in brids https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wil...

Birds eating pigments https://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...

Porphyrins https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltex...

Structural Coloration https://www.nature.com/articles/srep1...

OWL UV source https://birdtrek.smugmug.com/Animals/...