The Western Tanagers have discovered the oranges on our feeders. While many Tanagers have red colors, the red of the Western Tanager is different. Why?
Answer:
Other tanagers eat plants that contain yellow pigments and then use them to produce a red pigment called 4-oxo-carotenoids. Western Tanagers get their red color from a different red pigment called rhodoxanthin. They get that from insects they eat. If they don't find the right insects, they either have very pale reds or no red color at all.
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