In nature, birds use color in many ways. Color helps to identify the bird and its gender. For example, the males are generally more colorful, while females are drabber. Cardinals of North America have red beaks, but only the male cardinal is all red. If a male cardinal sees another cardinal, he will know what gender the other bird is. A male he chases away; a female he courts.
In addition, birds use color for camouflage. Mother Pheasant looks like the brush she nests in. Meanwhile, penguins, in their black and white colors, blend into the ocean. When a fish looks up, they see the sea but not the penguin.
Birds also use color to identify each other. Canada geese have black and white neck stripes that are as individual as people’s fingerprints. One goose can tell whether the other geese are a part of their flock. They keep their flock together in this way.
Sources:
_______, “Book of North American Birds”, The Readers’ Digest, Pleasantville, NY, 1990.
_______, “The Sibley Guide to Bird Life and Behavior”, Sibley, David Allen, ed, Alfred A Knopf, New York, 2001.
Ehrlich, Paul, David S. Dobkin, and Darryl Wheye, “Color of Birds”, 1988, 23 Dec. 2008,
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Copyright: Virginia Carper, Animal Teachers, 2008
From Universal Class, fun self-paced classes taught by me:
Finding Your Animal Teachers
Working with Your Animal Allies, Teachers, and Totems
Animals For Everyone: Penguins
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