Sexy Birds More Immune to Avian Flu

Ok, I figure since this has to do in principle with the whole bird flu thing that it should go here, if a mod want's to move it to somewhere else, please feel free to do so.

An animal's attractiveness to potential mates is thought in some cases to be related to the animals overall health and therefore suitability as a parent.

In few cases is health so clearly displayed as the white spot on the flycatcher's forehead.
The size of the spot on a male flycatcher bird indicates his immune system's ability to fight off the avian flu virus, scientists announced today.

The study found the male collared flycatcher can change the size of its forehead spot during mating season. Males that unfurl their forehead spots most are those that produce the most antibodies.

"It seems that the female uses the forehead spot as a health indicator," Mans Andersson of Uppsala University in Sweden. "When she chooses males with a large forehead spots, she takes not only the healthiest males but also the ones with the best immune defense against future virus infections."


LiveScience.com

I don't really have anything to say, it was an interesting article.

I wonder if there could be a similiar effect in humans, well if that turns out to be the case most of HollyWood is safe.


Comments, Opinions?

Thank you for that article! At last, i can relax, seeing that i am extremely sexy myself....

Seriously, thats an interesting concept.

If it works for chickens....

You do not have to be sexy....

Just paint a big @$$ white dot on your forhead!!!

Ah, yes, the big white dot.

Care to explain?

originally posted by iori_komei

I don't really have anything to say, it was an interesting article.

I wonder if there could be a similiar effect in humans, well if that turns out to be the case most of HollyWood is safe.

Comments, Opinions?

From orginal new article posted by 'i_k'

The birds are not magically transforming their spots. Instead, evolution is at work, allowing the birds to show off their health. The finding supports the theory that expression of secondary sexual traits, such as brighter plumage, bigger horns or a larger spot, signals traits that are beneficial for survival.

Not sure if there's a similiar trait (eg the dot) in humans... aside from the hypothesis that good looking people are getting it more than the er, um... the attractively disabled (new term copyright 2006 - Rren.)

Human interactions, i think, are much more complicated although being attractive/fit is a sign of fertility that your 'mates' notice and respond too, i guess that's similar/analogous.

The article is very interesting none-the-less. Of course an 'I don't have HIV (or anything else)' spot would certainly be a useful adaptation for humans.

Good find

Originally posted by dgtempe


Thank you for that article! At last, i can relax, seeing that i am extremely sexy myself....

Seriously, thats an interesting concept.

If it works for chickens....

Was thinking the same thing. Guess sexy minds think alike.

Good find.

...the article I found had a different analysis - or else I just have a singleminded erm unique focus.

Is there something in the environment that is constantly changing and can govern the genetics of appearance and health, leading, instead, to diversity?

..."More and more evidence indicates that the most changeable part of the environment consists of parasites, bacteria and viruses. All of these, especially viruses, evolve more rapidly than the hosts whose resources they live off of. The host will therefore always be in an important evolutionary race against its diseases," explains MÃ¥ns Andersson, who directs the research team.

The findings not only enhance our understanding of why animals behave and look the way they do but also help explain why animals that choose their own mates produce healthier offspring than animals whose mates are selected by humans.

Attractive Birds More Immune Against Bird Flu