With their "glamorous looks", they can easily attract mates. But there is a downside - they are easy targets for predators. So they keep a low profile, and only show off their colours during the breeding season.
It's the same with humans. Some of us want to stand out from the crowd, to be special, to be admired, but this can expose us to criticism. We fear that others may not like us; that if we deviate too much from the norm, we would no longer be protected by the masses. So we want to switch back and forth - from normal to special and back again.
Sometimes we boast about ourselves. Some may do it openly, telling everyone around "Hey! Look, I've got a new iPhone". Or we may whisper, "Aha, see me do this break dance", and hope our friends will watch and burst into applause.
But we could be ridiculed or laughed at.
Just like the Red Fody, we want to show off our gorgeous feathers, but we have to realise the risks.