FINCHforum

I'm not sure if this is the right board, but here goes. I was taking care of the finches this morning and took a peek in the Java nest. I could practically fully see both babies looking back at me! They'll probably be fledging next week.

Baby #1 looks mousy gray and has black eyes and a fully black beak. He already has fully white cheek patches, so I'm assuming he's the older of the two. I'm kind of surprised of the white cheek patches, because I didn't think they got these until they were older.

Baby #2 looks mousy gray as well and also has black eyes but his beak is strange. The upper mandible is black and the lower mandible looks pink or flesh toned.... like a Societies beak. He is just starting to get his white cheeks, they're just beginning to show up, so I'm guessing him the younger.

I've never heard of a Java with a two-toned beak. I do know that their beaks became pink after they leave the nest and get older, but I wouldn't expect this to happen this early, and not for the lower mandible to turn pink but not the upper one.....

Is there something wrong with this baby? He seems healthy. Is there some sort of Java color mutation I don't know about that has a two toned beak? I'm sorry there's not pictures... I don't want to scare them with a camera flash and have them fledge early, and its too dark in there for me to not use a flash.

If it helps, both parents are pure Javas and are gray (wild type), though I suspect they might be split, as there was another chick, that unfortunately passed, that had red eyes.

Don't worry be happy!

They are fine and you don't need to worry at all!
The second chick may become varigated?
Meaning it will be black, grey and white.

I had the wild type, whites and fawns and even silver and you never know every ones in a while a strange chick will appear!
White birds will sometimes have saddle back babies and silver will have a fawn baby or two!

Mine already fledged! Does yours look different? Father is normal black, and mother is isabel!

Mine look about like that...... maybe a little darker gray, a little smaller in size, already showing some signs of the white cheek pattern and the one with the two-toned beak.

I'm also having to peer at them through the opening of a domed wicker finch nest, not a nest box. They should fledge exactly a week or so from today.... I'll make sure I get pictures then.