365Caws is now in its 14th year of publication, and was originally intended to end after 365 days. It has sometimes been difficult for me to find new material, particularly during the winter months, but now as I enter my own twilight years, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to provide daily posts. It is my hope that along the way I may have inspired someone to a greater curiosity about the natural world. If so, I can rest, content in the knowledge that my work here has been done.
Wednesday, November 22, 2023
Who You Callin' Blue?
Day 40: Although this bird is a blue jay, it is not a Bluejay. It's a Steller's Jay, and it's not blue. Neither is a Bluejay, for that matter. The colour blue only occurs in birds as a refraction of light through the cellular structure of their feathers. It makes them appear blue to human eyes, but in fact, no birds' feathers truly carry blue pigment. Turacos come close with a unique copper-based green pigmentation not found in any other species, but Bluejays, Bluebirds, Blue Tits, Blue Grosbeaks, Blue Herons, Lazuli Buntings, Indigo Buntings and other "blue" birds are actually brown. I find that this explanation is frequently met with skepticism or outright disbelief whenever I present it, proving that people believe what they want to believe whether it goes against the science or not. Some will come around after they do a little research. Others will remain forever obstinate, insistent that Santa Claus, UFOs and blue birds are real.
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