In biology, epigamic features and behaviors, such as a male bird’s bright feathers or a special way of displaying them, help to attract a mate.
In epigamic selection, members of one gender seek or choose a mate by displaying certain features or behaviors, e.g., brightly colored feathers or an elaborate dance. While epigamic traits may increase the chances of reproducing, they sometimes hinder survival chances. For example, a male peacock's massive, iridescent tail is a purely epigamic feature meant to attract peahens, but it's so big, it makes it harder to fly and escape from predators. Epigamic comes from the Greek word epigamos, "marriageable," from the root gamia, "the act of marrying."