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RE: woodpecker color




Craig A. wrote:

>Anyway, I come back to you with a question.  Does anyone have any idea >why 
>at least one sex of all the woodpeckers in our area have at least >some red 
>on their head?  I'm curious to know if there is a scientific >explanation 
>of this?

Never saw anyone respond to Craig's interesting question (sounds like a good 
one for Norm Budnitz to me!), so I'll take a stab:

The simple answer from evolutionary biology would be that way back some 
mutant woodpecker-like bird was born with a red splotch, and attracted more 
females, mated more, produced more offspring who in turn
attracted more mates, etc.etc.

Of course this begs many other questions, why do females find red 
attractive, or would any dash of color worked as well?  Why is the red on 
the head versus other parts of the body (easiest place to signal from?)? And 
are birds like Downies and Hairies slowly over time being selected for those 
with the largest patches, such that 100s(1000s?) of yrs. from now they will 
have full red caps!? just my 2 cents, maybe someone can fill in the gaps or 
has totally different thoughts... off to look for Snowys now....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Rob Gluck
Chapel Hill, NC
thrush@hotmail.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^









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