A Courting Peacock Can Shake Its Partner’s Head From Afar
When a male shows off his trademark fan, the female doesn’t just see him. She also feels him with special vibration sensors in her crest.
A peacock’s tail is so ostentatious that you could easily miss other parts of its anatomy that, on any other bird, would be unmissable. On the heads of both male and female peafowl, there’s a crest of stiff, spatula-like feathers that resemble the helmet of a Roman centurion. It’s a flamboyant, standout trait that, under the circumstances, is just another decoration among many equally eye-catching ones.
But , a physicist from Haverford College, has found that the crest is much more than a mere adornment. It’s also a sensor. Its feathers are tuned to vibrate at the exact same frequencies at which a displayinghim. She also feelshim, in her head.
