What is the initial downy covering color of a newly hatched Roseate Spoonbill chick?
Answer
White or pale grayish-white
A newly hatched Roseate Spoonbill emerges covered in downy feathers that are characteristically white or a pale grayish-white. This subdued initial coloration provides a stark contrast to the brilliant pink plumage they develop later in life. The transformation to pink is not immediate but is a gradual process dependent on diet acquisition over weeks or months, beginning after this initial pale stage.

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Why Do Spoonbills Grow PINK While Other White Birds Don't
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