Couinae

Abstract hair-like down on the top of head, also on back; skin black, gape bright red, edge of tongue black. Nestling pinfeathers break through the skin at 6 days when the pins are 2.5 mm long on the wing, at 11 days, feather brushes emerge from pins; the eyes open at 7 days (Frauca 1967, Pratt 1972, Hoppe 1988, Taplin and Beurteaux 1992). In New Guinea a short-tailed young was carried by the parent in flight as the adult held the body of the young in its claws (Bell 1969, 1970, 1984). Nestlings weigh 18.6 g at hatching and 123.5 g at fledging (male?), or 41% of adult male weight. Undisturbed nestlings fledge in 17 to 21 days (Cooper 1953).The natal down is gone within a week of fledging, and the young are independent at 40 days.A female may lay several clutches and rear three to four broods in a season (Mackness 1979). Breeding success, of 14 nestlings, 11 (79%) fledged, others were taken by a predator (Frauca 1967,Taplin and Beurteaux 1992).