Page 740 - Hand rearing birds second

742 Hand-Rearing Birds

Figure 48.1 House Finch hatchlings have four rows of down on their heads. Source: photo courtesy of
Jackie Wollner.

Figure 48.2 House Sparrow nestling
with body and flight feathers just
starting to come in. Note the
complete lack of downy feathers.
Source: photo courtesy of Jackie
Wollner.

red‐colored mouths and pink skin. These species all display the typical anisodactyl passerine toe
arrangement with three toes forward and one back.
House Finch chicks have four rows of whitish down on their heads: two rows on the crown and
a small row above each eye (Figure 48.1). Goldfinch chicks have one row of grayish down over
each eye, and another row crossing the back of the head to form a triangle of down. The down on
House Finches and goldfinches persists as the body feathers come in, and may give the chicks the
appearance of having cobwebs on their heads. House Sparrow chicks do not have any down at all,
but rather hatch completely naked. By the time their eyes begin to open at 3–5 days of age, they
typically have feather tracts beginning to emerge with a “5 o’clock shadow” appearance
(Figure 48.2). Well‐nourished House Sparrow chicks may near adult weight before developing sig-
nificant feathering. House Sparrows are the largest in this group, with House Finches slightly
smaller. Goldfinches are approximately half the size and weight of the others at any given age as
determined by feather development. Adult weights are as follows: House Sparrow 28 g, House