April 3rd, 2022 at 10:44PM

gryffon:

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I recently learned that the reason its common across all families of birds to have black or dark wingtips is due to the fact melanic keratin is stronger and more resistant to wear than light-colored keratin. The tip of the wing is crucial for flight and subject to a considerable amount of wear from abrasion and sun.

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Here’s a cool Sibley illustration of typical wear patterns in a Herring gull’s fresh vs molted flight feather.

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(via aigenderated)

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    I recently learned that the reason its common across all families of birds to have black or dark wingtips is due to the...
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