Nature Communications (Jan 2018)

Structural absorption by barbule microstructures of super black bird of paradise feathers

  • Dakota E. McCoy,
  • Teresa Feo,
  • Todd Alan Harvey,
  • Richard O. Prum

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02088-w
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Physical structure is known to contribute to the appearance of bird plumage through structural color and specular reflection. Here, McCoy, Feo, and colleagues demonstrate how a third mechanism, structural absorption, leads to low reflectance and super black color in birds of paradise feathers.