House Finch

The red or yellow coloring of a male House Finch comes from its food it eats during the molting period. The more pigment contained in the food, the redder the male will become. Coloration plays an important part of the mating cycle. Females look for the reddest males they can find, assuring their nestlings of a good food provider.

The red or yellow coloring of a male House Finch comes from its food it eats during the molting period. The more pigment contained in the food, the redder the male will become. Coloration plays an important part of the mating cycle. Females look for the reddest males they can find, assuring their nestlings of a good food provider.