Oct 25, 2010 15:16 GMT  ·  By

A new study carried out by Juan Amat, from the Estación Biológica de Doňana in Seville, Spain and colleagues, shows that flamingos add natural color to their feathers during mating season, in order to look their best and attract mates.

The researchers observed the Phoenicopterus roseus flamingo in Spain, and they noted that the birds are taking the color pigments, or carotenoids, from the secretions of their uropygial gland and use them to highlight their feathers.

Amat and his team analyzed the link between the seasonal color variations and the courtship activity of the flamingos.

They wanted to find out if the pigments that tint the feathers on their surface are also part of the secretions of the uropygial gland.

The birds' behavior was also assessed, in order to see whether they do something different to obtain and keep the color of their feathers.

Finally, they looked at the link between feather coloration and annual reproductive patterns, like egg-laying.

Their conclusions were quite clear: when flamingos were in groups, they feathers were more colorful than during the rest of the year, and the colors started to fade once the birds began to breed.

Amat's team also found evidence that the birds were adding color on their feathers after observing them rubbing their head on their neck, breast and back feathers.

And because this behavior was more frequent during periods in which the flamingos were in groups, and the colors started fading after the eggs hatched, the researchers concluded that this make-up had relational motivations – attracting a mate.

“Our findings in flamingos have important implications for the theories of sexual selection and signaling, highlighting the key role of the manipulation of plumage color by the birds themselves to improve signal efficacy,” the researchers explained.

The study is published online in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, a Springer journal.