Question

The male resplendent quetzal bird has evolved to have tail feathers that are approximately 60 cm long. The female quetzal has short tail feathers. Using the quetzal as your example, describe how the mechanism of natural selection may have led to the evolution of the male quetzal’s extraordinarily long tail feathers.

Answer 1

The long feathers in a male are a result of sexual selection, a form of natural selection. Males of many species have display mechanisms that attract females. If the female brains are tuned to seek males that display these features, evolution will favor those males who display them best. This leads to a population genetic change that favors even more elaborate displays, at least until the females don't care anymore.
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