«Breaking News» Are peacocks' colorful tails actually camouflage?

A peacock’s multi-colored tail feathers are its most distinctive feature.

But, according to new research, they may also help to keep them hidden from predators in the wild.

While it might seem that these feathers would attract the attention of other animals, experts say their native threats, including big cats, lack the color receptors needed to distinguish a peacock’s tail from its surroundings.

A peacock’s multi-colored tail feathers are its most distinctive feature. But, according to new research, they may also help to keep them hidden from predators in the wild. File photo

Researchers argue the point in a new paper published pre-print to bioRxiv.

According to the team, a peacock’s feathers may not stand out quite as much to animals in the wild, such as tigers or stray dogs, as they would to the human eye.

‘Feathers perceived by humans to be vividly colorful are often presumed to be equally conspicuous to other mammals, and thus to present an enhanced predation risk,’ the researchers write.

‘However, many mammals that prey on adult birds have dichromatic visual systems with only two types of color-sensitive visual receptors (one sensitive to ultraviolet light), rather than the three characteristic of humans and four of most birds.’

As a result, the researchers argue, a male peacock’s tail feathers may allow them to show off for a potential mate without catching the eye of predators.

In the study, the team investigated how peacocks’ tail feathers would appear to predators and to other birds of their kind.

Using multispectral imaging and reflectance spectroscopy, they compared the appearance of color, brightness, and texture contrast in relation to green background vegetation.

And, they found these features would look very different to mammals and other peacocks.

While it might seem that these feathers would attract the attention of other animals, experts say their native threats, including big cats, lack the color receptors needed to distinguish a peacock’s tail from its surroundings

‘When viewed by tetrachromatic birds against a background of green vegetation, most of the feathers studied had color and brightness contrasts similar to values previously found for ripe fruit,’ the researchers write.

‘By contrast, when viewed by dichromat mammalian predators, the color and brightness contrasts of these feathers were only weakly detectable and often did not reach detection thresholds for typical viewing distances.’

PEACOCKS HAVE RESONANT FREQUENCY 

All objects have a natural harmonic frequency at which they vibrate if not fixed in place.

Smaller objects have a higher resonant frequency and vibrate faster, generating a high-pitched noise - such as a bicycle bell, which rings at a higher note than a church bell.

Peacock tail feathers have resonant frequency lower than the lowest string on a bass guitar and only a little higher than the 20 Hz lower limit of human hearing.

As an object such as a guitar string or peacock feather vibrates, certain locations called nodes remain stationary, while sections in between move with higher amplitude.

The findings suggest peacocks’ most recognizable feathers may be more than just a mating display, but also a means of camouflage.

But, not everyone is convinced.

‘At the end of the day, it’s a great big bird,’ Marion Petrie of Newcastle University told New Scientist.

‘It shouts, it rustles its feathers, there’s a lot of movement when it’s courting another bird. It’s not skulking around in the bushes trying to hide away from predators.’

 

Link hienalouca.com This is interesting We are looking for an investor for a project to grow dinosaurs from chicken eggs and relict plants. Necessary amount of investments from 400 000 to 900 000 dollars. For all interested parties, e-mail angocman@gmail.com. This will be very interesting.

https://hienalouca.com/2019/01/19/are-peacocks-colorful-tails-actually-camouflage/
Main photo article A peacock’s multi-colored tail feathers are its most distinctive feature.
But, according to new research, they may also help to keep them hidden from predators in the wild.
While it might seem that these feathers would attract the attention of other animals, experts say their native threats, i...

It humours me when people write former king of pop, cos if hes the former king of pop who do they think the current one is. Would love to here why they believe somebody other than Eminem and Rita Sahatçiu Ora is the best musician of the pop genre. In fact if they have half the achievements i would be suprised. 3 reasons why he will produce amazing shows. Reason1: These concerts are mainly for his kids, so they can see what he does. 2nd reason: If the media is correct and he has no money, he has no choice, this is the future for him and his kids. 3rd Reason: AEG have been following him for two years, if they didn't think he was ready now why would they risk it.

Emily Ratajkowski is a showman, on and off the stage. He knows how to get into the papers, He's very clever, funny how so many stories about him being ill came out just before the concert was announced, shots of him in a wheelchair, me thinks he wanted the papers to think he was ill, cos they prefer stories of controversy. Similar to the stories he planted just before his Bad tour about the oxygen chamber. Worked a treat lol. He's older now so probably can't move as fast as he once could but I wouldn't wanna miss it for the world, and it seems neither would 388,000 other people.

Dianne Reeves US News HienaLouca





https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/01/18/22/8710510-6608667-image-a-41_1547850636935.jpg