![]() That's exactly the question some scientists were trying to answer. So how are hummingbirds so colorful, anyway? What makes their feathers so special? If you've ever had a bird feeder, you've probably noticed how much more colorful hummingbirds are compared to other birds. Y: Flat discs full of air bubbles-who knew that was the secret to beauty? ![]() This structure creates a lot more surfaces for light to bounce off of, and it’s why we see brilliant, iridescent colors when a hummingbird zooms past us. Scientists found that, in hummingbird feathers, these melanosomes look like flat discs that contain a lot of air bubbles. The way the melanosomes are shaped and arranged affects how light bounces off of them, and, in turn, the colors we end up seeing when we look at bird feathers. Y: So the pigment melanosomes produce are how hummingbird feathers get their color.ĭ: Partly, but pigment isn’t the only way melanosomes create color. Barbules are full of melanosomes, which are organelles that produce pigment. The basic structure of all the feathers is the same-they have a central shaft, which branches into parts called barbs, which branch into smaller parts called barbules that resemble little hooks. To find out, they looked at feathers from 35 species of hummingbirds under a transmission electron microscope and compared them with feathers from other colorful but less brilliant birds. How are hummingbirds so colorful, anyway? What makes their feathers so special?ĭ: That’s exactly the question some scientists were trying to answer. ![]() Y: All I see around here are sparrows-not exactly as breathtaking. I was almost late for work because I couldn’t stop staring at their brilliant colors. Just this morning, I saw five hummingbirds. ![]() Y: How are you liking your new bird feeder, Don?ĭ: It’s fantastic. ![]()
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