Date of Completion

Spring 5-15-2026

Thesis Advisor(s)

Christian Brückner; Nicholas Leadbeater

Honors Major

Chemistry

Disciplines

Analytical Chemistry | Biodiversity | Inorganic Chemistry | Poultry or Avian Science

Abstract

Bird coloration is a trait that extends beyond mere aesthetics as it has an extensive range of biological significance. Plumage patterns and hues can influence camouflage, mate choice, social dominance, and physiological performance. Bird fitness, their ability to survive and reproduce, is greatly dependent on color. Melanins, carotenoids, and pterins are well-studied pigment systems that are commonly found across many avian species’. Alternatively, porphyrin-based pigments are rare and less-studied as they only found in turacos a sub-Saharan African bird belonging to the family Musophagidae. This thesis focuses on two pigments of interest: turacin, the deep crimson-red pigment found in the flight feathers of turacos and turacoverdin, the dull grass-green pigment found in turaco body feathers. Methods that assist in extracting and chemically characterizing these two pigments were successfully established through this research. This work aimed to examine the historically described structure of turacin as the copper(II) complex of uroporphyrin-III, investigate its acid-induced formation of green pigment proposed to resemble turacoverdin, and provide new analytical data toward resolving the chemical composition of turacoverdin. To achieve these aims, a mix of traditional and novel extraction methodologies were used prior to analyzing results with modern spectroscopic and analytical techniques such as UV-vis spectroscopy and HPLC/ESI-mass spectrometry.

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