that's a lot of feathers just to get laid.
Survival of the individual is inconsequential, according to the latest in evolutionary thought. Perpetuation of the genes is paramount.
Look no further than the peacock. If you saw one for the first time in a painting, you might well presume the thing to be merely a figment of the artist's imagination. Whatever delights to the eye, the imaginary bird's tail feathers would obviously attract the attention of predators. In the wild, no bird so heavily laden would even be able to fly.
Ah, but the peacock has his tail feathers because peahens like them.
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