With the new study, scientists re-identified the bird species with the whitest plumage. This species is not all white as you might imagine.
Birds communicate with each other not only by sound but also by visual means. One of the biggest tools in visual communication is its own feathers. For this reason, it is known that bird species living in low-light areas have evolved to have some parts of their tail feathers white. In this way, the light reflected in the feathers and communicate with other birds.
Alright, bird with the ‘whitest’ plumage Which one? Scientists offered a new answer to this question in their study. Eurasian snipeIt has been announced that it has the whitest plumage of any bird species whose whiteness has ever been measured.
It reflects 30% more light than what has been known to date as the ‘whitest’:
Examining the structure of the feathers with an electron microscope, scientists measured how much light was reflected from the white feathers. The results show that the white plumage of this bird is even greater than that of the Caspian tern, which has the ‘whitest’ plumage to date. Reflects 30% more light showed.
- Left: Eurasian snipe, Right: Caspian tern
This means that Eurasian snipe can communicate with each other over longer distances in dark environments. According to scientists, the reason why this tail has such a high reflection is actually in low light environments. more their evolution to communicate over long distances.