Blackish Part on Baby WBC

[Alayna]

So I have a White Bellied Caique named Lily whose just coming up on her first hatch day. Every since I got her shes had this black shadow on her beak that has grown since her beak has grown. Her beak is mostly horn colored with just a little bit of blackish shadow in the right corner of her mouth. It is not sensitive. And yes, I've checked its not her tongue. She does has a cage mate, but I know what bruised beaks looks like and she has pretty much always had this even the three months before I had her without her cage mate. I was wondering if birds can have like "hatch marks" or something. Because she's a yellow thigh-ed White Belly I was told she was more likely to have some black headed caique characteristics or something. Her sister is from the same parents but doesnt have any black on her beak.
Help?

Also the black shadow doesnt stop her from chewing food on that side or even wood. Because she's always had Im pretty sure its not a bruise otherwise Id for sure take her to the vet.

Thanks so much!!
Alayna

 

[painesgrey]

I've seen a few WBCs with darker spots on their beaks, similar to what you're seeing with Lily. I always thought they were similar to the black feathers they tend to get on their head - vestiges of a past genetic link with their black-headed cousins, perhaps. I've never been around the WBCs long enough to know whether they grew out of the darker spots or not, though if it's anything like the black feathering then it will probably grow out over the course of a year or two.

 

[Alayna]

Yes thank you! that's what I was thinking too!
Thank you so much!!

 

[CrazyKozmo]

My Mickey has quite a bit of black/grey on her beak...and she just turned 6 years old last month! She's always had it...doesn't have any problems with it. It helps me tell the 2 crazy birds apart! I don't remember how to load a photo, but if you look at my avatar photo (click on it) Mickey's lying on her back.

 

[CrazyKozmo]

I forgot to say that Mickey's feet are also darker than her buddy's feet (who has pinkish feet and a horn colored beak). I think it's just genetics.

 

[Mizzely]

@Laurie

 

[Laurie]

It's a great question. The answer is it is totally normal. White-bellied caiques can have anywhere from no black to a substantial amount of black on their beaks and or feet. Some have freckled feet and some have all black feet. It does seem to run in families but an odd one will pop up here and there. I have a male WBC with entirely black feet and some black on his beak. My other birds have more or less freckled feet.

Here are some pics where you can see the variety.

 

[Monica]

I wonder how much of this could also potentially be the result of hybridization between white bellieds and black headed caiques that were then bred back to white bellied caiques...

I do know that black discoloration is quite common in them as chicks and a discolored beak, in that way isn't anything to worry about.

 

[Irishj9]

I have a hang pf caiques and there is a wide range in coloration of beaks and feet, even within species.

Here in South Africa species hybridisation is heavily frowned upon. There is a small community of very well known breeders

I cant imagine any of them doing it, especially since all 3 main subspecies are readily available here

 

[Laurie]

I wonder how much of this could also potentially be the result of hybridization between white bellieds and black headed caiques that were then bred back to white bellied caiques...

I do know that black discoloration is quite common in them as chicks and a discolored beak, in that way isn't anything to worry about.

It is a good question and people bring it up all the time.

Check out these pictures of wild white-bellied caiques while hybridization is possible it does not occur in most of their natural range and still there is a wide variety of beak and feet colors (especially feet).

So I would say that while it is always possible that there may be some hybridization that could lead to black coloration on white-bellied caiques but I would generally assume that the black coloration is not a result of hybridization unless I have good reason to say otherwise.

 

[Monica]

It is a good question and people bring it up all the time.

Check out these pictures of wild white-bellied caiques while hybridization is possible it does not occur in most of their natural range and still there is a wide variety of beak and feet colors (especially feet).

So I would say that while it is always possible that there may be some hybridization that could lead to black coloration on white-bellied caiques but I would generally assume that the black coloration is not a result of hybridization unless I have good reason to say otherwise.

Thank you for finding those photos!!!! Much appreciate it!


I was thinking in terms of green cheeks and maroon bellieds. As per research, there's evidence to say that they have already hybridized in the wild as they share a common gene, but you don't see hybrid flocks. I don't know if any kind of research such as that has been done on other species of parrots.

 

[Irishj9]

Thank you for finding those photos!!!! Much appreciate it!


I was thinking in terms of green cheeks and maroon bellieds. As per research, there's evidence to say that they have already hybridized in the wild as they share a common gene, but you don't see hybrid flocks. I don't know if any kind of research such as that has been done on other species of parrots.

Wild hybridisation of caiques is so rare as to be almost impossible

Have you seen a caique fly?. These species are separated by the largest river in the world. They dont/cant fly across it

 

[Monica]

Perhaps the hybridization occurred before the species was separated by a natural barrier, and once the species went their separate ways, they became more "one type". Just a thought. Not saying this is what happened, but it's a possibility.

 

[Fiwi]

What do you make of this mark on Finn's beak?

 

[Laurie]

Does it wash off? If not then I would say it is a bruise. In which case it will be visible until his beak grows out. He should be fine though.

 

[Fiwi]

No, it doesn't wash off and he's had it for awhile. I wonder how he bruised himself?! Thank you for your reply, Laurie!

 

[Irishj9]

What do you make of this mark on Finn's beak?

I have a hen, Diva, with a similar mark on her beak. Shes had it since she was a baby and its only now starting to recede. Shes 2.5 years old now. It never bothered her and ive treated it the same as a variation in foot colour or eyes

It