Male mallard ducks have had emerald green head feathers and wings with metallic blue patches for hundreds of years,whereas females have been drab,brown-feathered ducks.This phenotypic situation suggests that mallards may be an example of ____.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The distinct coloring of male and female mallard ducks suggests sexual selection, where traits are favored by one sex because they increase mating success with the other sex. In this case, the bright and metallic green and blue coloring of male ducks likely evolved through female mate preference for these traits.

Male Mallard Ducks Have Had Emerald Green Head Feathers and Wings