Gouldian finches with different head colors. (Stanley Gaw) <\/p>\n
An endangered Australian bird species exhibits coloring that matches character, featuring fiery red heads and bold black-headed birds. <\/p>\n
Gouldian finches, Erythrura gouldiae, have red, black, or occasionally yellow heads. They inhabit tropical savanna woodlands and feed on seeds. <\/p>\n
A team of U.K. researchers tested for three types of personality in these birds: risk-taking, boldness, and aggression. <\/p>\n
Different colors may mean each bird uses different behavioral tactics, said study co-author Claudia Mettke-Hofmann at the U.K.s Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) in a press release. <\/p>\n
For risk-taking, the scientists observed how quickly birds returned to feed after exposure to a hawk-shaped cardboard cutout. <\/p>\n
To determine boldness, they looked at how birds dealt with an unfamiliar objectbundles of gray or brown strings hanging from a perch. <\/p>\n
And to test how aggressive individuals are, they gave pairs of hungry birds limited access to food and noted which birds displayed threatening behavior or displaced others. <\/p>\n
The team found that black-headed birds are bolder and take more risks, whereas red-headed ones tend to be more aggressive. <\/p>\n
We think that head color is used as a signal of personality to other birds in the flock, so they know who to associate with, said study co-author Leah Williams, also at LJMU, in the release. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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Head Color Linked With Personality in Social Bird Species<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Gouldian finches with different head colors. (Stanley Gaw) An endangered Australian bird species exhibits coloring that matches character, featuring fiery red heads and bold black-headed birds. Gouldian finches, Erythrura gouldiae, have red, black, or occasionally yellow heads. Continue reading