We raise and explore possible answers to three questions about the evolution and ecology
of silent flight of owls:(1) do owls fly silently for stealth, or is it to reduce self-masking …

Avian feathers have robust growth and regeneration capability and serve as a useful model
for decoding hair morphogenesis and other developmental studies. However, the molecular …

Male hummingbirds have repeatedly evolved sexually dimorphic tails that they use as
ornaments during courtship. We examine how male ornament evolution is reflected in …

The structural condition of feathers may generally have a decisive role in shaping the color
properties of the plumage. However, the information content of structurally mediated color …

Sensing a global directional cue to orient cell growth is crucial in tissue morphogenesis. An
anterior-posterior gradient of Wnt signaling controls the helical growth of feather branches …

The shape of remiges (primary and secondary feathers) is constrained and stereotyped by
the demands of flight, but members of the subfamily of New World ground doves …

There has been much discussion over whether basal birds (eg Archaeopteryx and
Confuciusornis) exhibited active flight. A recent study of barb angles has suggested they …

Among the most ornate animal traits in nature are the angle-dependent (eg iridescent)
structural colors of many fishes, damselflies, birds, beetles, and butterflies. Though we now …

Gliding birds morph their wings through continuous planforms to attain robust flight
performance and maneuverability. These seamless shape changes are enabled by soft …

Feathers are sophisticated skin appendages on bird skin, with massive fiber curves (called
barbs) branching out from a shaft. Each barb uses its hooklets (called barbules) to further …