Many birds-of-paradise species emit light through their plumage, study finds [View all]

Researchers found that most birds-of-paradise are biofluorescent – meaning they absorb light through their bodies

Nicola Davis Science Correspondent
Tue 11 Feb 2025 19.01 EST

Birds-of-paradise are known for their bright and colourful plumage, but it turns out they are even more dazzling than previously thought.

Researchers have found 37 of the 45 species show biofluorescence – in other words, patches of their plumage or other body parts absorb UV or blue light, and emit light at lower frequencies.

“At a minimum, it would make these biofluorescent areas brighter – a yellow feather may be more green-yellow, a white feather may be brighter and slightly more green-yellow,” said Dr Rene Martin from the American Museum of Natural History in New York, who was first author of the study.

Published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, Martin and colleagues reported how they studied preserved specimens of each bird-of-paradise species, held in the ornithology collection at the American Museum of Natural History.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/feb/12/many-birds-of-paradise-species-emit-light-through-their-plumage-study-finds