Did you know that blue is one of the most popular colors among us? Evidence of this can be seen in the fact that there are 75 countries with flags that feature the color blue.
However, in nature, this color turns out to be extremely rare, especially among animal species. The instances of encountering animals with this color can be counted on one hand.
More importantly, even when you see an animal that appears blue, it may not actually be its true color. But why is this color so rare?
The Color of Animals Depends on Their Diet
The color of animals contains pigments related to the food they eat every day.
The majority of colors found in fur, skin, and feathers (of birds) contain pigments related to their daily diet. For example, the American goldfinch has yellow feathers because it primarily eats yellow flowers. Similarly, flamingos are pink because they consume red or pink crustaceans and fish.
This rule also applies to other colors, such as brown, red, and orange. However, blue is a special case, as no creature actually contains blue pigments within them. Therefore, animals cannot be blue based solely on the food they consume, which is why this is the rarest color in the natural world.
Animals That Appear Blue Are Not Truly “Blue”
Animals have developed a way to trick our vision.
Did you know that color is actually how we perceive light waves? This rule applies perfectly to the natural world.
Some animals that we think are blue are actually that color due to evolutionary processes. These animals have developed a means to deceive our vision by utilizing the structure of their fur or feathers and their ability to reflect light.
For example, the blue morpho butterfly appears blue because its wings reflect light. The structure of its wings allows it to absorb all colors, leaving only blue light. However, since this blue color relies entirely on microscopic structure, if the wings are affected by other factors — such as alcohol — the color will disappear, and even the shape of the wings may change.
No Bird is Truly Blue
Birds that exhibit blue color do not have any such pigments within them.
Many may wonder why so many birds — like the Brazilian parrot or the cassowary — display blue feathers. But as mentioned, it all comes down to feather structure.
Birds that exhibit blue color do not have any such pigments within them. They utilize feather structure to reflect blue color. Each feather contains tiny crystal particles that absorb all colors, leaving only blue. For instance, in the parrot shown above, if you look closely, it is actually green, not blue.
The Only Animal That is Truly Blue
Only the olivewing butterfly exhibits blue.
Blue is indeed rare, but it does exist. There is only one species of butterfly in the world that carries this color, known as the olivewing butterfly.
This butterfly has evolved to possess actual blue pigments in its wings, and this color cannot change no matter how you alter your viewpoint or interact with it (unless you dye the wings, of course). The reason for the olivewing butterfly’s unique coloration remains a mystery to science.
