[NatureNS] White in Blue Jays?

From: <klantz@ns.sympatico.ca>
To: <naturens@chebucto.ns.ca>
Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 00:03:15 -0300
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James Hirtle's post about the white Blue Jay got me to thinking about =
the cause of this colour deficiency. I have often heard it referred to =
as leucism or reduced/lack of pigment. It is said that blue in birds =
isn't a pigment colour but caused by structural elements that reflect =
blue light. The pigment in Blue Jay feathers is apparently brown. I =
suspect the overlying cells that reflect blue require this brown =
background pigment and that underlying white negates the blue effect. Or =
is something else at work here?



Kevin Lantz

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<HTML><HEAD></HEAD>
<BODY dir=3Dltr>
<DIV dir=3Dltr>
<DIV style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial'; COLOR: #000000">
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"><FONT style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 12pt">James Hirtle's =
post about=20
the white Blue Jay got me to thinking about the cause of this colour =
deficiency.=20
I have often heard it referred to as leucism or reduced/lack of pigment. =
It is=20
said that blue in birds isn't a pigment colour but caused by structural =
elements=20
that reflect blue light. The pigment in Blue Jay feathers is apparently =
brown. I=20
suspect the overlying cells that reflect blue require this brown =
background=20
pigment and that underlying white negates the blue effect. Or is =
something else=20
at work here?</FONT></FONT></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3D3=20
face=3D"Times New Roman"></FONT>&nbsp;</P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0cm 0cm 0pt"><FONT size=3D3=20
face=3D"Times New Roman">Kevin =
Lantz</FONT></P></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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