[birdky] ANSWER to latest bird quiz

The nestling bird pictured in the latest bird quiz was a young Rock
Pigeon. Clues to the true identity of the beast are the size relative to
the human hand, the structure of the feet, the gray color of the new
feathers replacing the yellowish-brown down, and the bill profile in the
bottom photo. Many nestling birds undergo significant changes in bill
shape and proportions; the weird shape to the bill in the top photo must
be attributable to a transition stage in bill shape. I was never sure if
these photos depict both of the young birds or just different angles of
the same bird.
 
The photos are posted at http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos/whatisit2.html
<http://www.biology.eku.edu/kos/whatisit2.html> 

bpb, Frankfort

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