Unveiling the Hidden Colors of Birds

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Explore the unseen world of bird colors, where birds see ultraviolet hues imperceptible to humans due to their unique four cone types. Delve into the brilliance of seemingly drab birds revealed in ultraviolet spectra, uncovering the mysteries behind their vibrant plumage and the evolutionary significance of coloration mechanisms.

Plumage! Sexy dances! Feather heists! Possible holographic disco birds? Natural History Museum of LA ornithology curator Dr. Allison Shultz is a professional plumologist aka feather expert. We visit the museum’s collection of rare specimens and chat about everything from fossilized dinosaur feathers to silent owl flight to furry bird legs to why pigeons are so loud, peacock tails, down parkas, quill pens, heavy metal flautists, feather thieves, pigments, flight feathers, Vantablack, if you can eat feathers and why birdwatching is like seeing tiny purple raccoons zoom overhead. Birds: like Pokemon Go but weirder.

Visit Dr. Allison Shultz’s website allisonshultz.com and follow twitter.com/ajshultz622

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Sound editing by Jarrett Sleeper of MindJam Media & Steven Ray Morris

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

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