To young for feathers - but not for colors -Gouldian finch

[Geraldo Hofmann]

Gouldian finches - the folks down under will know the species- (see link (http://www.hofmann-photography.de/index/02_estrild/index_estrild/gould_pa/) for the adult birds) are among the most colorful birds one can imagine, not only do they have a stunning plumage even their chicks are pretty showy. This is a picture of the mouth markings of a youngster these markings serve several tasks they signal the species for the parents but also the stage of hunger and fitness of the offspring. (captive bird)
Geraldo

EOS D30 (yes the oldtimer) 100mm Macro f=11 t=1/125 flash … focus manual because this camera really had a slow AF-system!!
http://www.hofmann-photography.de/BAN/Chloebia%20gouldiae-11.jpg

[Phil Battley]

That'd be an awesome ID quiz! Most of us would probably get the wrong phylum. :-)
Fantastic stuff,

Phil

[Linda Dulak]

Interesting picture. As I breed Gouldians, I'm used to seeing these little ones. Flash has burned out the blue on the side of the mouth but in life this is an amazing neon-like blue which seems to almost fluoresce when it catches any light. This helps the parents (who are cavity nesters) find that mouth to feed. Those areas fade and disappear by the time the young can independently feed themselves. It's a nice way to tell if a bird is now independent of it's parents and can be separated from them. Many finches have similar distinct patterns in the mouth and the young can often be identified by these patterns, but I don't know if any have these distinctive colored parts on the edge of the mouth/beak.

Linda

[Geraldo Hofmann]

Thank y'all for your comments,

Nice to meet another Gouldian-breeder. Yes Linda you are right it also serves as beacon for the parents, thanks I forgot to metion this. And yes there are quite a few species with similar mouth markings you may have look at MOUTH-MARKINGS (http://www.hofmann-photography.de/index/02_estrild/index_estrild/mouthmark/) :-). And the blue on the side is terrible to expose ... it is even fluorescent and I didn't want to torture this little creature for getting the perfect shot.

Don't wory no nest disturbance in the wild ... all born in our aviaries.
Regards Geraldo

[Ilija Dukovski]

Some crazy colors. Very interesting image, if you didn't tell us what it is I would have hard time
figuring it out.
Very nice.

[Alan Murphy]

You gotta love nature. This is just beautiful and different. I wouldn't change a thing.

[James Fuller]

Looks like some sort of sea creature.

[Arthur Morris]

Yup, it looks like some sort of tiny sea creature to me....

[Geraldo Hofmann]

Thank Y'all for your kind words

and yepp there is always something new in nature, you got to love it.
Ohh btw they would be pretty unhappy under water :-)

Birds ... or as the author of my favorite books would probably say ...It ain't just feathers...

Geraldo