First Week

I couldn't be more excited to start working tomorrow. I will be performing digital image analysis on and finding the carotenoids concentration of house finch feathers in order to compare the ways in which different individuals intake and modify carotenoids.

Birds cannot make carotenoids, a pigment; they can only obtain them through consumption. Then individual birds modify them by, for instance, adding an oxygen to use them how they like. In our lab, we are comparing the presence of various carotenoids within the House Finch species.

Later in the study, we will landmark and compare the carotenoid content interspecially.

This study will give us an idea of how the use of various carotenoids affects the feather structure, how their diet may affect their pigmentation, and why the use of this pigment has been sexually selected.

I feel so lucky to be a part of something so fascinating. I can't wait!