Noisy Friarbird - WHY BARE HEADS AND BILL KNOBS?

[Greg Oakley <>]

Phillip Veerman wrote:
You wrote that "The knob, and the associated depressions either side of the knob, are also wonderful collectors of pollen ensuring cross pollination as birds move between plants." That may be true but that is an advantage to the plants but hardly of any benefit for the birds. The birds aren't going to evolve something to benefit the plants, unless it has been of historical adaptive benefit to the birds that started to develop that feature.



Hi Phillip,

I have to agree with David on this - ("The knob, and the associated 
depressions either side of the knob, are also wonderful collectors of 
pollen ensuring cross pollination as birds move between plants.")


I would have thought that cross pollination would indeed benefit the birds
as it ensures the continued life-cycle of the plants they are feeding on.

In other words, the continued existence of flowering plants is reliant
on cross-pollination. Thus, the birds which perpetuate this, benefit from a 
healthy and robust plantation of flowering plants- their main food supply.

Does this make sense?

Regards,
Greg