Hey there! Today, we’re going on a fun adventure into the world of birds. Squeaks and I were birdwatching, and we spotted some amazing birds like a cardinal, a goldfinch, and a blue jay. Each bird was a different color: the cardinal was red, the goldfinch was yellow, and the blue jay was blue. Isn’t that cool?
Birds come in all sorts of colors, and that’s one of the things that makes them so interesting. Some birds are brightly colored, while others, like the mallard duck, have brownish feathers. These brown feathers help them blend into their surroundings, making it harder for predators to spot them.
But why are some birds so colorful? Well, it depends on the bird! Some birds start with dull feathers and get brighter as they grow older. One of the most fascinating birds is the flamingo, which has a unique reason for its bright color.
When you think of flamingos, you probably think of pink. But did you know that flamingos can also be reddish-orange or even white? When flamingo chicks hatch, they are whitish-grey. As they grow, they start to change color, and the secret is in their diet!
Flamingos eat by slurping up water with their beaks, which have a special structure that acts like a strainer. This helps them catch tiny shrimp and insect larvae. These foods contain a pigment, which is a substance that gives things color. The pigment in flamingo food is orange, the same pigment that gives carrots and pumpkins their color.
As flamingos eat, the pigment ends up in their skin and feathers, turning them pink. The more pigment they eat, the brighter their feathers become. If a flamingo stops eating food with this pigment, its feathers will fade back to white!
Squeaks was worried that we might turn orange if we eat foods with the same pigment. But don’t worry! Flamingos eat thousands of larvae and shrimp every day, while we eat a variety of foods. We’d need to eat a lot of carrots every day for a long time to start turning orange. Instead, we enjoy a balanced diet with many different foods.
Now that we’ve learned about these colorful birds, let’s grab a healthy snack and do some more birdwatching. Thanks for joining us on this adventure! If you want to keep learning and having fun with Squeaks, Jessi, and me, be sure to subscribe to SciShow Kids. See you next time!
Colorful Bird Art: Gather some art supplies like colored paper, crayons, or markers. Think about the colorful birds you learned about, like the cardinal, goldfinch, and blue jay. Create your own bird using these colors or invent a new bird with your favorite colors. As you create, think about why your bird might be those colors. Does it help them hide, or does it make them stand out?
Birdwatching Adventure: Go outside with a parent or guardian and try to spot different birds. Bring a notebook and draw the birds you see. Write down the colors of their feathers. Can you guess why they might be those colors? Are they bright to attract attention or dull to blend in?
Food and Color Experiment: With the help of an adult, try a fun experiment with food coloring. Use white flowers or celery sticks and place them in cups of water mixed with different food colors. Watch over a few days to see how the color changes the plant. Discuss how this is similar to how flamingos get their color from their food.
