Would a chick prefer a mate with a sun-kissed complexion? She would if she has wings and a penchant for tree-dwelling lovers.

According to a recent study published in the journal Current Biology, male barn swallows whose breast feathers were darkened appeared more attractive to female birds and showed higher testosterone levels than male swallows left with their natural, lighter coloring.

“It’s the ‘clothes make the man’” notion, said Rebecca Safran, a co-author of the study. “It’s like you’re walking down the street and you’re driving a Rolls Royce and people notice. And your physiology accommodates this.” (more…)