The city air seems to have a bleaching effect – if you’re a bird.
A new Swedish study that has been published in the Journal of Animal Ecology shows that tall-tailed deer that live in the city are significantly paler than their friends in the countryside, reports Vetenskapsradion.
When researchers examined the plumage of chicks and adult ptarmigan in eleven European cities and nearby forest areas from north to south, they discovered that ptarmigan living in forest environments had an overall stronger yellow-green color in their breast feathers compared to those living in urban environments.
One of the reasons for the color difference, the researchers believe, may be related to differences in diet because the yellow color comes from carotenoids, important antioxidants that the birds get from the insects they eat and that help them deal with toxic pollutants.
The researchers’ advice is to plant native trees in the urban environment so that the birds have more access to beneficial insects.
However, a previous study from the Department of Biology at Lund University shows that talgoks in urban environments are less stressed compared to country ones, which the researchers believe is due to the fact that it is easier to find food in the city and that life in the countryside can be quite tough.