Astaxanthin is the carotenoid thought to be responsible for the pink feathers we see in gulls (McGraw, Hardy 2005). I've written on this subject in a previous
post, but I'm now wondering if this same carotenoid is responsible for the extra yellow/orange we see in bare parts.
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Adult Ring-billed Gull. 25 March 2012. Chicago, IL.
Note the pink blemish on the face, neck and breast. |
Not only does this individual display pink in its plumage, but the bare parts are on hyper-orange!
Compare it to these ordinary March RBGUs:
It's curious to say the least...
??
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ReplyDeleteเว็บตรงไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์ BETFLIX GAMING คือศูนย์รวมบันเทิงชั้นนำระดับเอเชียในด้านการเดิมพนันออนไลน์และรวม สล็อตแตกง่ายชั้นนำ betflik ที่มีความพร้อมในเกมคาสิโนออนไลน์ครบวงจร รวมทุกแบรนด์ชั้นนำ
ReplyDeleteHey there, I know this is an old post but I found it when I encountered two RBGU among hundreds that had both pink feathers and vibrant orange legs and bills. Did you ever find more concrete information about why this occurs? I am in Pittsburgh, PA if that is relevant.
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