Psittacofulvin

Psittacofulvin pigments cause the bright-red, orange, and yellow colours of parrots.[1] Colourful feathers with high levels of psittacofulvin resist feather-degrading Bacillus licheniformis better than white ones.[2]

References

  1. ^ J. F. Masello, T. Lubjuhn, P. Quillfeldt (2008). Is the structural and psittacofulvin-based coloration of wild burrowing parrots Cyanoliseus patagonus condition dependent? Journal of Avian Biology, Volume 39, Number 6, November 2008 , pp. 653-662(10), DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-048X.2008.04417.x
  2. ^ Edward H. Burtt, Max R. Schroeder, Lauren A. Smith, Jenna E. Sroka, Kevin J. McGraw (2010): Colourful parrot feathers resist bacterial degradation, Biology Letters, The Royal Society, doi:10.1098/rsbl.2010.0716.