Peacock feathers
© sarayut Thaneerat/Getty Image
Bright and colourful peacock feathers
Peacock feathers, multicoloured and radiant, are instantly recognisable. Their signature ‘eyespots’ flash in the light when a male displays for a nearby peahen, which is the female species’ name. The colourful nature of the feathers is scientifically fascinating. Instead of the colours being composed of individual pigments, iridescence of the peacock's hues is caused by the microscopic crystal-like structures of the feathers. As the feathers shift, so does the colour of the feather. This iridescent show is all done to attract a mate. When mating season is over, males lose their feathers, making it easy for us to collect them for display, art, or simply a reminder of nature’s beauty.
Related Images
A delta in the Venetian Lagoon, Italy
Grand Prismatic Spring, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States
Desert bighorn sheep in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada, United States
Eucalyptus trees, Megalong Valley, Blue Mountains National Park, NSW, Australia
Sandstone hoodoos, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, United States
Great Blue Hole, Belize
Ribblehead Viaduct and Ingleborough mountain, North Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Zoroaster Temple, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA
Bing Today Images
MacKenzie Beach, Tofino, British Columbia, Canada
Mar 30, 2022
Ostrich fern in Washington state, USA
Mar 30, 2021
