Monday, 13 April 2015

Mutations

The Ruby-Throated humming bird is one of the most widespread and common species within the eastern united states. They breed during the summer and migrate south during the winter.

A young flock migrated south to Costa Rica. Though a strange occurrence within the flock was noticed when one of the young hummingbirds couldn't suck the nectar out from multiple flowers. Strange enough the tagged humming bird had a strange beak. It was way shorter than the average Ruby-Throated Humming Bird. The beak was thin, slender, and pointed like one of a Warbler.

This was most likely another process of natural selection that had mutated the gene controlling beak shape and length. Compared to the other humming birds within the flock, it had a difficult time sucking on the nectar within the wild flowers as it's beak was not long and tubular straw like beak that other humming birds have. Yet it did have a higher affinity of picking insects off leaves, twigs, and bark.


As because of this mutation the humming bird would have found it harder to breed within the flock as this mutation would lead to more difficulties within humming birds that find nectar as it's main diet. In the end i'd conclude that this mutation having affected the young humming bird was against it. While it's migration pattern wouldn't have to change that much, it would still have a difficult time adjusting it's diet.

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