The Graph Below Represents the Results of an Experiment Looking

Multiple Choice

The graph below represents the results of an experiment looking at mate preference in female black widowbirds. The researcher used three groups of male birds: one with artificially shortened tails, one with artificially lengthened tails, and the control group with unaltered tail lengths.

Although females prefer males with the longest tails, very long tails are typically not found among males in their natural environment. Why might this be the case?

A) Male birds with very long tails are easily captured and eaten by predators, so they do not survive to reproduce.
B) Male birds prefer having shorter tails.
C) Mutations have kept tail lengths from increasing.
D) There is no advantage to having increased tail length in the natural environment.