The iridescent colors of feathers, like those of a soap bubble, result from light wave interference created by thin films.

Where the observer is in relation to the bird and the angle of the sunlight will change what the viewer will see. If light waves and troughs meet and cancel each other out, the eye will perceive black; if the wave crests meet, the eye will see intense color; if waves and troughs partially meet, the color will be more dull.

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