Men are so pretty...

Have you noticed in nature that the male of a species often are much prettier than their female counterparts?

I noticed this when I came across two Mallards in our parking lot at work the other day.

The male has this lovely, bright green head and vibrant, yellow beak.  The female is mostly brown and white, with only a small patch of brilliant blue on her wing.

Why did God do this?  I suppose it's because the female of the species usually has to spend a lot of time with young.  She must blend into her surroundings to keep her and the babies safe.  The males, who go off to wherever they like, (possibly foraging for food to bring home to the family?) have lovely plumage.  I also think they are "pretty" so they attract female attention in the first place.  :)

I have noticed that I think this way about human males as well.  They seem to have the shinier hair and full, lavish eyelashes.  Their lips can be quite nice and their general face shape can be more pleasant than a woman's sometimes.  And their bodies have the ability to become much stronger and more muscular than ours, with less work in the gym.   (Obviously, all of these descriptions are not always the case with every man.)

We, women, often spend a lot of time on our hair and makeup in order to adorn ourselves with external beauty.  I've wondered if we do this because we subconsciously are trying to keep up with the natural beauty of men.  Interesting...

And yet, I have heard many men profess that they don't like it when women overdo their makeup and hair.  They think it looks fake and unnatural.  They have said that a woman who appreciates her natural state is much prettier to them.

I wonder if the male Mallard feels the same way.  Sure, the female has simple brown feathers and just a small blue patch to adorn her wings, but to him, she is beautiful, just as she is.