Science
High-altitude birds evolved thicker ‘jackets’ – Yahoo News Australia
Himalayan songbirds in colder, more elevated environments have feathers with more fluffy down.
A study of 250 species of Himalayan songbirds has revealed how their feathers evolved for higher altitudes.
The birds in colder, more elevated environments had feathers with more fluffy down – providing them with thicker “jackets”.
The insight reveals how feathers provide the tiniest birds with such efficient protection from extreme cold.
It also provides clues about which species are most at risk from climate change, the scientists say.
The study, in the journal Ecography, was inspired by a tiny…
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