Male birds are colorful for courtship displays, females are dull for camouflage. But, is written in a website somewhere that sometimes, when females birds are sterile, they grow male plumage due to male's feathers being a dormant gene (or something like that, sorry, I'm no professional). Is true? Can it happen? If so, how came? (and I lost the website's link, so I can't post it here, sorry again)
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1$\begingroup$ Please would you add a link to the website that you mentioned? That would be useful. $\endgroup$– Jay MooreCommented May 8, 2019 at 9:53
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I don't have a link to a reference, but I was told by an ornithologist last week that in the UK, female blackbirds (usually brown plumage and brown beak) can sometimes change to more resemble males later in their lives (black plumage and orange beak).
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$\begingroup$ Unfortunately, anecdotal references are not acceptable even if they come from an expert. Unless there is good statistical evidence, we cannot be sure. It would be super good if you can contact the ornithologist and ask them for a reference. $\endgroup$– WYSIWYGCommented May 8, 2019 at 15:35