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RE: woodpecker color
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: RE: woodpecker color
- From: "Rob G" <thrush@hotmail.com>
- Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2002 10:50:32 +0000
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
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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