😭 Bird feathers are so colorful because of two main factors: pigments and feather structure. Pigments like melanins create blacks, browns, and reds, while carotenoids from a bird’s diet produce bright reds, yellows, and oranges. Many blues and iridescent colors are not from pigment at all but from microscopic structures in the feathers that bend and scatter light, reflecting specific wavelengths back to our eyes. This combination of chemistry and physics helps birds attract mates, blend into their environment, or signal health and dominance. (Via ViralHog) #surprise