Right. These feathers will last until the next molt, but if the bird is getting a better diet then, it will grow in more red ones. But, it's stuck with these yellow ones until the next molt, probably the end of the summer.
Kevin Kevin J. McGowan, Ph.D. Project Manager Distance Learning in Bird Biology Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14850 k...@cornell.edu 607-254-2452 ________________________________ From: Linda Orkin <wingmagi...@gmail.com> Sent: Friday, May 5, 2017 6:17 PM To: Kevin J. McGowan Cc: CAYUGABIRDS-L; W Larry Hymes Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] Further info Yellow House Finch I would imagine no one can be surprised at poor condition in these birds this year with the dearth of carotenoid source fruits and berries over this past fall and winter. This would not be permanent but could be corrected with better diet, correct Kevin? Thx Linda Orkin Sent from my iPhone On May 5, 2017, at 5:23 PM, Kevin J. McGowan <k...@cornell.edu<mailto:k...@cornell.edu>> wrote: No, the most likely explanation is that it is a young male in relatively poor condition. The captive experiments showed that poor diet makes for more yellow and less red birds. Those ideas apply to wild birds, as well. Yellowish House Finches are relatively common. I usually see a few each year. But, since you brought up the topic. I had occasion the other day to see the same phenomenon (I am guessing) in PURPLE Finches, which I don't think I've ever seen before. Photos of a yellowish male coming to my feeder can be seen at https://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S35976663. Best, Kevin Kevin J. McGowan Project Manager Distance Learning in Bird Biology Cornell Lab of Ornithology 159 Sapsucker Woods Road Ithaca, NY 14850 k...@cornell.edu<mailto:k...@cornell.edu> 607-254-2452 ________________________________ From: bounce-121504884-3493...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-121504884-3493...@list.cornell.edu> <bounce-121504884-3493...@list.cornell.edu<mailto:bounce-121504884-3493...@list.cornell.edu>> on behalf of W. Larry Hymes <w...@cornell.edu<mailto:w...@cornell.edu>> Sent: Friday, May 5, 2017 4:53 PM To: CAYUGABIRDS-L Subject: [cayugabirds-l] Further info Yellow House Finch Upon reading the literature, it appears that captive house finches can have yellow coloration because of the lack of carotenoids in their diet. Would the most likely explanation for this particular bird be that it escaped from captivity? Larry -- ================================ W. Larry Hymes 120 Vine Street, Ithaca, NY 14850 (H) 607-277-0759, w...@cornell.edu<mailto:w...@cornell.edu> ================================ -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm Cayugabirds-L Subscribe, Configuration, and Leave Instructions<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> www.northeastbirding.com<http://www.northeastbirding.com> Cayugabirds-L – Subscribe, Configuration and Leave . Cayugabirds-L is an email list (the List) focused on the discussion of birds and birding in the Finger Lakes ... ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html cayugabirds-l - The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> www.mail-archive.com<http://www.mail-archive.com> cayugabirds-l Thread; Date ; Earlier messages; Messages by Date 2017/04/25 [cayugabirds-l] the colors of spring Melanie Uhlir 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ [http://ebird.org/content/ebird/wp-content/uploads/sites/55/Birding-at-the-Bridge_front.jpg]<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/> eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/> ebird.org<http://ebird.org> Please join us in congratulating Chris McCreedy of Tucson, Arizona, winner of the March 2017 eBird Challenge, sponsored by Carl Zeiss Sports Optics. -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: Welcome and Basics<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME> Rules and Information<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave<http://www.northeastbirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm> Archives: The Mail Archive<http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html> Surfbirds<http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds> BirdingOnThe.Net<http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html> Please submit your observations to eBird<http://ebird.org/content/ebird/>! -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
