page_title: Secondary sex characteristic
hierarchical_section_title: Secondary sex characteristic
caption_attribution_description: English: Male Indian peafowl (Pavo cristatus) displaying Español: Cola del Pavo Real (Pavo cristatus) macho.
context_page_description: Secondary sex characteristics are features which make it possible to tell the sexes of a species apart. They are not directly linked to reproduction.
  Male birds usually have much more colourful feathers, the females are usually better able to hide, because their plumage is camouflaged.
  Well-known secondary sex characteristics in humans are the deeper voice, facial hair and more muscular build in men. In women, those characteristics usually cited are more prominent breasts, lips, eyes, long/fast growing hair, no facial hair, wider hips, more fat, and generally a higher voice. Faces, generally, make a big impact. It is the part other people interact with.
  However, the wider hips are needed to give birth. Babies are born through the space between the three bones of a woman's pelvis. So is doubtful to call this a secondary characteristic, except so far as the width helps attract mates. Breasts are also essential, but in humans they are much larger in proportion to other mammals, and they do serve to attract males.
context_section_description: Secondary sex characteristics are features which make it possible to tell the sexes of a species apart. They are not directly linked to reproduction.
  Male birds usually have much more colourful feathers (plumage), the females are usually better able to hide, because their plumage is camouflaged.
  Well-known secondary sex characteristics in humans are the deeper voice, facial hair (mustache and beard) and more muscular build in men. In women, those characteristics usually cited are more prominent breasts, lips, eyes, long/fast growing hair, no facial hair, wider hips, more fat, and generally a higher voice. Faces, generally, make a big impact. It is the part other people interact with.
  However, the wider hips are needed to give birth. Babies are born through the space between the three bones of a woman's pelvis. So is doubtful to call this a secondary characteristic, except so far as the width helps attract mates. Breasts are also essential, but in humans they are much larger in proportion to other mammals, and they do serve to attract males.
caption: A peacock shows his feathers. This male's plumage attracts females, and can be used to scare off other animals
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