Please read the article and answer the 1st question and the fourth question. Tha

Question

Please read the article and answer the 1st question and the fourth question. Thank you !

Many birds have bright, ornamental plumage. Most often it is displayed by the male of the species, who is believed to use the plumage to attract females. The female may select male breeding partners on the basis of this feather advertisement, perhaps assessing their health. According to evolutionary theory, it behooves the female to choose a strong, healthy male to be the father of her chicks, not only because the male helps to feed them but also because the chicks will carry dad's healthy genes. Darwin labeled such mate choice "sexual selection. Another possible form of plumage selection has been studied by biologists in Canada. They think that the parents of certain bird species may select the "prettiest" chicks out of a nest as favorites and feed them better (why they might do this is an interesting question) American coots are birds that live in the marshes of western North America. As adults they are grayish-black and bills. The chicks are unusual, for unlike most birds whose nestlings are usually drab, coot chicks are surprisingly conspicuous. They have long, orange- tipped, slender feathers, brilliant red papillae around their eyes, a bright red bill, and bald red head. The chicks lose this colorful appearance at three weeks. The Canadian biologists speculated that the plumage may make some chicks more attractive to have a spot of white on their ir parents; possibly the most "attractive chicks might be able to successfully beg for more food from th eir parents and have a better chance of survival. That seemed possible since sometimes one-half of all chicks died from starvation. But how could the authors test such an unusual notion? Here is your challenge: First, identify the specific question(s) the authors are asking. . Second, what is the hypothesis that they suggest? Third, what predictions (deductions) can you make if the hypothesis is correct? Fourth, how can we test the predictions, i.e., what exactly might we do ifwe were the authors who had studied coots for several years?

Explanation / Answer

Answer 1 - Specific question the auther is asking is " why certain bird species select the prettiest chicks out of a nest as favourites and feed them better ?

Answer 2 - If we are the authors who have studied coots for several years we will have to organise data into graphical form and try to find out how many chicks survived in coot in month . And out of the chicks who survived how many were brighly coloured ?

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