Plants that are pollinated by birds often have flowers that are ______.

The correct answer is Scented and tubular-shaped.

Key Points

• Flowers pollinated by birds, known as ornithophilous flowers, are often brightly colored and tubular-shaped to attract birds.
• Scent is generally mild or absent in such flowers as birds primarily rely on their vision rather than smell for locating nectar.
• The tubular shape of the flowers complements the bird's long beaks and tongues, allowing them to access nectar deep inside.
• These flowers produce large quantities of nectar, which serves as an energy-rich food source for birds.
• Examples of bird-pollinated flowers include hibiscus, trumpet vine, and fuchsia, which are designed for specific bird species like hummingbirds or sunbirds.

Additional Information

• Pollination Mechanism:
  • Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male part (anther) of a flower to the female part (stigma) to enable fertilization.
  • Birds, wind, water, insects, and animals are common pollination agents.
• Bird Vision:
  • Birds have excellent color vision, often perceiving colors in the ultraviolet spectrum, making brightly colored flowers especially attractive to them.
• Nectar:
  • Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by flowers to attract pollinators, including birds, insects, and bats.
  • It provides a primary energy source for many bird species involved in pollination.
• Co-evolution:
  • Birds and bird-pollinated flowers have co-evolved to develop mutual adaptations, such as flower shapes suited to bird beaks and bird feeding behaviors adapted to flower structures.
• Other Bird-Pollination Examples:
  • Many tropical and subtropical plants rely on birds like hummingbirds, sunbirds, and honeyeaters for effective pollination.