In many species of birds, different body parts often display very different colours. This spatial distribution of coloured plumage patches may be determined, among other factors, by the balance between being cryptic to predators, and conspicuous to intended receivers. If this is the case, ventral and anterior body parts in birds –which are less visible to predators but more prominent to conspecifics– should present more conspicuous and sexually dichromatic plumage colours. Here I test these...