Fruit Color Advertising

Fruits dispersed by birds are often red or black, colors that stand out sharply against green leaves to a bird's keen, UV-capable color vision. Fruits aimed at mammals lean toward yellow and orange, matching the more limited color vision most mammals have. Some tropical fruits even carry ultraviolet patterns that are invisible to us but vivid to their target birds and insects.

Across many plants, fruit color tends to fit the eyesight of its preferred carrier, so the right animal notices the meal and the seeds end up where the plant can grow.