For the past eight years, the Cornell Ornithology Lab's Ed Scholes has been working with National Geographic photojournalist Tim Laman to document and understand the biological mystery that is the bird of paradise. In the "trailer" for the project, below, Scholes explains that the birds "represent one of these singular events of evolution that stand out, that are extraordinary ... you're driven to say why? How did that happen?" Their colorful feathers and intricate dances are driven by a meticulous process of sexual selection. "The females are looking at this whole package," Scholes says, "and can discern something about [the male] by minor variation. The more complex it is, the harder it is to make it look right. If one little feature is out of whack, you're going to be able to tell." Still, dancing on a tree branch might be a fun alternative to the online dating scene.
For more videos from the Cornell Ornithology Lab, visit the YouTube channel.
Via It's OK to Be Smart.
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