Responses to the Environment

AP Biology· difficulty 3/5

Hummingbird visits to artificial flowers of three colors were tallied during a 1-hour observation period. Sucrose concentration was identical in all flowers.

Flower color Visits Red 42 Yellow 14 Blue 7

Which inference is best supported?

  • A

    Yellow flowers contain the most nectar.

  • B

    Hummingbirds preferentially visit red flowers, possibly due to innate or learned color preference.

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  • C

    Sucrose concentration drives the difference in visits.

  • D

    All colors attract hummingbirds equally.

Explanation

With sucrose held constant, the strong red preference must reflect a visual cue. Red is a well-known attractant for hummingbird foraging.

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