Eastern Bluebird
If bluebirds visiting your backyard don’t seem as “blue” as before, researchers may have found the reason – feather eating bacteria.
Birds with brightly colored feathers can carry bacteria which eats their feathers. This affects their health and dull their plumage, according to a BBC Earth Report.
Researchers at the Bird Behavior Studies Dept. of Biology at the College of William and Mary, Virginia, surveyed a population of Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) living in Virginia.
They found that 99% of all Eastern bluebirds surveyed were infected with feather-degrading bacteria. Furthermore, they found that the greater the concentration of the bacteria, the duller the bluebird’s feathers appeared. The feather-degrading bacteria decomposes the protein beta-keratin, which makes up over 90% of a feather’s mass. They also found that more bacteria equaled poorer body condition, and therby a reduction in the bird’s health, and also their reproductive success.
Further studies are being considered to understand the influence of the feather-degrading bacteria on mating, and to measure its affect on avian traits.
2 comments
elephant's eye says:
August 12, 2009 at 3:21 pm (UTC -5 )
That is so sad to hear.
sandra742 says:
September 9, 2009 at 9:57 am (UTC -5 )
Hi! I was surfing and found your blog post… nice! I love your blog.
Cheers! Sandra. R.