How woodcocks produce the most brilliant white plumage patches among the birds

Until recently, and when compared with diurnal birds that use contrasting plumage patches and complex feather structures to convey visual information, communication in nocturnal and crepuscular species was considered to follow acoustic and chemical channels. However, many birds that are active in lo...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of The Royal Society Interface
Main Authors: Dunning, Jamie, Patil, Anvay, D'Alba Altamirano, Liliana, Bond, Alexander L., Debruyn, Gerben, Dhinojwala, Ali, Shawkey, Matthew, Jenni, Lukas
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2023
Subjects:
Biology and Life Sciences
Biomedical Engineering
Biochemistry
Biomaterials
Bioengineering
Biophysics
Biotechnology
electron microscopy
reflectance
Scolopax
spectrophotometry
visual communication
finite-difference time-domain modelling
PREFER MALES
GREAT SNIPE
COLOR
FEMALES
Woodcock
great snipe
Online Access:https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01H1RDTC52K8V4F1A7RV7K7JCS
http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-01H1RDTC52K8V4F1A7RV7K7JCS
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2022.0920
https://biblio.ugent.be/publication/01H1RDTC52K8V4F1A7RV7K7JCS/file/01H1RDTM1JS50FPZV6YKWR4K7B
Description
Summary:Until recently, and when compared with diurnal birds that use contrasting plumage patches and complex feather structures to convey visual information, communication in nocturnal and crepuscular species was considered to follow acoustic and chemical channels. However, many birds that are active in low-light environments have evolved intensely white plumage patches within otherwise inconspicuous plumages. We used spectrophotometry, electron microscopy, and optical modelling to explain the mechanisms producing bright white tail feather tips of the Eurasian woodcock Scolopax rusticola. Their diffuse reflectance was approximately 30% higher than any previously measured feather. This intense reflectance is the result of incoherent light scattering from a disordered nanostructure composed of keratin and air within the barb rami. In addition, the flattening, thickening and arrangement of those barbs create a Venetian-blind-like macrostructure that enhances the surface area for light reflection. We suggest that the woodcocks have evolved these bright white feather patches for long-range visual communication in dimly lit environments.

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