In a stunning scientific revelation, a team of researchers in Colombia has captured rare footage of an “extremely rare” bird that exhibits bilateral gynandromorphism, a phenomenon where the creature is half-male and half-female. The unique bird, identified as a green honeycreeper, displays male colors on one side of its body and female plumage on the other, presenting an extraordinary sight rarely witnessed in the avian world.
The groundbreaking discovery occurred on a small farm within a nature reserve near Manizales, Colombia, where amateur ornithologist John Murillo spotted the remarkable creature. The bird, only the second of its kind ever recorded in this species, boasts aqua-blue feathers on one half and yellow-green plumage on the other, with a clear boundary delineating the two contrasting sides. This striking feature sets it apart from typical male green honeycreepers, which exhibit bright blue feathers with a black head, and females, which are uniformly green.
Professor Hamish Spencer, a zoologist at the University of Otago, who was alerted to the discovery by Murillo, expressed the rarity and significance of the finding. ”Many birdwatchers could go their whole lives and not see a bilateral gynandromorph in any species of bird. The phenomenon is extremely rare in birds. I know of no examples from New Zealand, ever. It is very striking. I was very privileged to see it,” stated Spencer.
The researchers believe that the bird’s internal organs are likely divided down the middle into male and female. This exceptional occurrence of bilateral gynandromorphy results from an error during female cell division to produce an egg, followed by double-fertilization by two sperm.
The team studied the unique bird for an extensive 21-month period as it regularly returned to feed on fresh fruit and sugar water provided by the owners of the Colombian farm. Despite its exceptional appearance, the bird displayed avoidance behavior from others of its species, and vice versa, making the likelihood of reproduction unlikely.
The findings of this extraordinary discovery have been detailed in the Journal of Field Ornithology, offering valuable insights into the rarely observed phenomenon of bilateral gynandromorphism in birds. The unique bird stands as a testament to the wonders of nature and the continuous revelations it offers to scientists and enthusiasts alike.
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