Science!

[ysengrin]

British birdfeeders split blackcaps into two genetically distinct groups

... Rolshausen thinks that the crucial factor was human altruism - by giving food to wintering birds, we also gave an advantage to any individuals with mutations that sent them in an unorthodox direction. Previously such birds would have simply died, but with humans around, they (and the genes they carried) flourished.

How long did this take? Apparently, only fifty years or so.

Comments

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I'm rather surprised that the direction the birds travel in is determined by their genes in the first place.

But yeah, very interesting.