I ❤ Plumage

Rock pigeons are abundant in the world. Therefore there are many breeds of rock pigeons that are slightly different from one another. There is also a single gene among them that causes prominent ruffles in certain parts of their plumage. Scientists have been able to pinpoint a single gene that causes this. Finding this gene is important because it is proof that scientists can pinpoint certain genes that can pertain to a broad selection of traits among the Aves class. Now they can begin to pick apart what makes feather color, and other displays that can link different bird species together, therefore supplying a good environment to discover why some ornamentation is similar between different bird species.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/347984/description/Pigeons_prominent_plumage_traces_to_one_gene