Why are adult female jacanas, painted snipes, and phalaropes brighter than males?

In the bird order Charadriiformes, female jacanas, painted snipes, and phalaropes are more brightly colored than males because these species exhibit sex-role reversal. In these birds, the traditional reproductive roles are inverted: females are the aggressive sex, taking the lead in courtship and territorial defense, while males are responsible for incubating the eggs and rearing the young.123

This reversal is driven by sexual selection, an evolutionary process where individuals compete for reproductive advantages. Because females in these species actively compete for mates and defend territories, their brighter plumage serves to increase their attractiveness and signal their dominance to competitors, similar to how bright coloration functions in the males of many other species. Consequently, while most birds exhibit sexual dimorphism where the male is more colorful to attract females, these specific shorebirds have evolved to favor female ornamentation due to their unique mating systems, such as polyandry.4325