Subject: [Tweeters] FW: question about great blue heron chicks' eyes
Date: Feb 3 14:01:56 2010
From: Rachel - RachelWL at msn.com


This question came into the office at Seattle Audubon. I couldn't find
an answer. Does anyone know?

Rachel Lawson
Seattle
rachelwl at msn.com


_____


Hello--

I'm hoping that you might be able to help answer a question about great
blue heron chicks or direct me to a good resource to find out for myself
as I work to put together an article for a children's publication.

I've found tons of great information in my own library of bird books
and online, but have thus far been unable to confirm--of all
things--issues surrounding the color of a newly hatched heron chick's
eyes and when they change to yellow. Two sources note that a newly
hatched chick has blue eyes (I have yet to find a good photo to confirm
this) and Cornell has a photo of 14-day-old chicks who clearly have
yellow eyes (so clearly a color change occurs in the first 2 weeks, but
how fast?).

This sounds like picky-picky info, but since an illustrator will
need to know, I'm desperately trying to find out. Thanks for any help
you can offer! And if this gets published, I'll be sure to include a
credit to thank you!

Best,

Christina Wilsdon

Seattle, WA