Date:
August 14, 2014
Source:
Springer Science+Business Media
Summary:
Preen gland secretion causes hoopoes’ eggs to change color, possibly giving signals about the robustness of the mother bird, researchers have found. Hoopoe females use cosmetics on their eggs - and the eggs gradually change color when they are incubated, from bluish-grey to a more saturated greenish-brown. This happens because secretion from the uropygial or preen gland – a substance birds use to preen and protect their feathers – is transfered from the female hoopoe’s gland to her eggs directly with the bill and by means of belly feathers.
No comments:
Post a Comment