Northern Pintails

Northern pintails are migratory dabbling ducks that typically nest in seasonal wetlands. They stay in San Diego from early fall to late winter. The iridescent purple-blue stripes adorning the Northern Pintail’s wings are not from pigments; they are actually nanostructures that reflect light at different angles. This creates the shimmering brilliance that is most prominent during flight, helping the flock stick together during migrations. Biomimicry of the speculum feathers can be applied to materials that need coloring, thus developing more sustainable processes. For example, the fashion industry consumes exorbitant quantities of water, partially due to the dying process. Textiles with nanostructures that naturally produce colors will reduce the amount of water used. It additionally eliminates the need for chemical dying, which is often toxic and not environmentally friendly.

Sources:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Northern_Pintail/id
https://wingtrip.org/2015/02/25/a-natural-history-lexicon-speculum/
https://asknature.org/collection/feathers/