Most of us hope that looks are not the most important factor when being chosen by that special someone. Birds, however, don't get the luxury of chatting over a cup of coffee. Many birds are sized up by prospective mates solely by certain visual clues. There are scientists who believe that female birds can deduce such things as the fitness of a male, his ability to parent, and the quality of a nesting site by either examining him or his territory. As a result, evolution has produced some pretty interesting adaptations to help males attract females, the first and most obvious of which is colorful plumage.
Birds have fantastic eyesight with a keen ability to discern colors.
Their means of finding a mate is therefore, mainly visual. The majority of male birds develop specially colored plumage, called breeding plumage, in the spring. The Robin and his red breast are a familiar example that springs to mind. Similarly, the male flamingo will turn bright pink, and the male cardinal, a deeper red. Some birds develop more elaborate plumage than a simple color change, but it is not as common because it interferes with the birds ability to hide from predators.