Birds Go Gray In Old Age, And The Ladies Like It

Sexy And He Knows It As male blackbirds go grey in their old age, it makes them more attractive mates for females seeking an experienced nester. Richard Winston/BTO/BNPS

A little bit of gray can go a long way for a discerning bird. Researchers tracking garden variety birds in Britain have found that blackbirds, jackdaws and house sparrows go gray as they get older, and it ups their game when it comes to the ladies.

As part of a yearlong study from the British Trust for Ornithology, more than 2,000 volunteers are recording odd-colored birds they see in their garden. So far, 700 birds from 35 species with abnormal plumage have been recorded -- the most common sighting being a blackbird with white feathers.

For scientists, the fact that birds go gray in old age came as a surprise. Some of the graying fowl might have leucism, reduced pigmentation that results from a genetic condition, but many seem to just simply be showing signs of aging. Each year, after the birds molt, some of their feathers may be replaced by gray variants.

In blackbirds, streaks of gray are a mark of distinction--and a sexy sign that a male knows what he's doing. Females blackbirds prefer experienced mates, who are better nesters, and a few gray streaks help clue them in to a bachelor with years of wisdom under his belt.

The advantage doesn't go completely to the elder-statesman type, though. White feathers can also make birds more vulnerable to predators. It's tough being beautiful.

[The Daily Mail]