Birds exhibit an extraordinary diversity of plumage pigmentation patterns. It has been overlooked, however, that complex patterns can be produced only with the contribution of melanins because these are the only pigments under direct cellular control. This hypothesis was tested for the first time examining the plumage patterning of all species of extant birds. 32 % of species show complex plumage patterns, the vast majority (98 %) including the contribution of colors produced by melanins.