Do Beautiful Birds Have an Evolutionary Advantage?
1 min read
Summary
In this episode, we learn about the evolution of birds and the forces that shaped them, from Yale evolutionary biologist and ornithologist Richard Prum.
Richard became interested in birds at a young age and developed a fascination with their diversity of species and the way they listen and sing.
Birds are descendants of dinosaurs; they are not just related to dinosaurs but are dinosaurs themselves.
There is a rich history of research and experimentation into how feathers evolved, and a lot is still unknown about the origins of feathers, flight, and the proliferation of bird species.
Beauty and aesthetic appeal are important evolutionary forces in the proliferation and diversity of birds and are not just byproducts of natural selection but a result of choosy animals making subjective choices.
This episode explores the rich complexities of bird evolution, from their colorful plumes to their complex cognitive abilities.
