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Mutant Gene Responsible for Pigeons’ Head Crests

Decoded genome reveals secrets of pigeon traits and origins

Scientists have decoded the genetic blueprint of the rock pigeon, unlocking secrets about pigeons’ Middle East origins, feral pigeons’ kinship with escaped racing birds and how mutations give pigeons traits like feather head crests.

“Birds are a huge part of life on Earth, but we know surprisingly little about their genetics,” says Michael Shapiro, one of the study’s two principal authors and a biologist at the University of Utah. (more…)

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