Whooping Crane Photo Gallery |
In another 20 days the change is even more dramatic. This chick is around 45 days old. He's beginning to grow real feathers, including primary feathers, but the chick down is still there at the tips of the new feathers making him very fluffy. He'll preen the down away as his new feathers grow until he's sleek all over. (Photo by Barbara Niccolai, USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center) |