Institute for Creation Research
by Jeffrey P. Tomkins, Ph.D.
Because evolution on a grand scale is impossible to observe happening in real time due to the immensely long ages it supposedly requires, any little tidbit of natural selection that is discovered is heralded as real-life proof for evolution. However, the changes that are cited as evidence are typically based on a trait that always existed in the population, but at a lower or higher level of expression. A current news article in New Scientist magazine about a recently-published study clearly illustrates this.1
Africa is home to the sunbird, which is quite similar to hummingbirds. It even has the same type of hovering capabilities, characterized by rapid wing movement like that of the North American hummingbird.2 However, the sunbird has seldom used this hovering capability because its standard food source does not require it to hover in mid-air during feeding.
Recently, a new non-native species of plant, a type of tree tobacco, has begun to thrive in Africa. This plant produces flowers that are becoming the sunbird’s favorite food source. In order to suck the nectar from the flower, the sunbird must hover in mid-air, using its rapid wing movement capability just like a hummingbird. Evolutionists took note of this new behavior and documented it as evolution in action.3 Is the sunbird evolving by acquiring a novel hovering trait? …Continue Reading HERE.
