Between 2015 and 2019, the behavior of 436 white-necked hummingbirds in the Central American rainforest in Panama was studied. From the research shows that about 30 percent of females disguised themselves as males.
Disguise
The researchers propose two explanations for the disguise of the women. The females change color to stand out from the males and so start mating. Or the females change color to keep the males away from them and thus find food faster.
The male hummingbirds are colorful and distinctive are their blue head, dark green back and white belly. The females are often grey: a combination of grey-green and white.
–
–
Strikethrough
Video footage shows that the females change color to avoid social harassment from males. Male hummingbirds showed a sexual preference for gray colored hummingbird females.
According to Stevan Mije, bird expert at Naturalis, this is very clever of the hummingbird females. “Male hummingbirds are mainly engaged in mating, so female hummingbirds only care for their young. If you have to take care of your offspring, you don’t have time to be bothered.”
–
–
With a bright color this is much easier for the females. “The bird’s bright colors are associated with aggression,” evolutionary ecologist Jay Falk told de National Geographic. “If you look like a man, you no longer suffer from bullies.”
It also plays a role in how successful the rearing of the young is. “You need quite a lot of food for that. If you are left alone you can peck all day,” says Mije.
–
–
Not all women
So why don’t all hummingbird females change color? According to evolutionary ecologist Dustin Rubenstein, this is because of the risk involved. “When you radiate bright colors, you stand out,” he tells the National Geopgraphic. “The chances are much higher that you will be eaten by predators.”
In addition, creating the colors also costs a lot of energy, according to Mije. “You have to put on a very luxurious plumage. The more color your feathers have, the more energy it takes to make it.”
In areas with a lot of food, women are less likely to change color, Mije thinks. “If females can easily find food, they will have less effort to raise their young.”
–
–
