#Id: 8132
#XL - Q Biochemistry
Lipids as pigments in plants and bird feathers.
Birds acquire the pigments that color their feathers red or yellow by eating plant materials that contain carotenoid pigments, such as canthaxanthin and zeaxanthin.
The differences in pigmentation between male and female birds are the result of differences in intestinal uptake and processing of carotenoids.
