What is it about?
Eye rings of Java sparrows swell after forming a bond with their mate. Eye rings are areas of blushed bare skin around the eyes. They increase the area size over a few months, and such change acts as a signal for mating readiness, which is important for species living in tropics with less seasonal cues to start breeding.
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Photo by Max Letek on Unsplash
Why is it important?
The study revealed overlooked aspects of visual signals in birds, colorful bare skin parts working AFTER mating decision, which is contrasted with many previous studies shedding light on the role of colorful plumage in mate choice context.
Perspectives
Birds show a dramatic diversity in face/eye area conspicuousness, which should be
Masayo Soma
Hokkaido Daigaku
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Eyes of love: Java sparrows increase eye ring conspicuousness when pair-bonded, PLoS ONE, October 2023, PLOS,
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292074.
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