18 HOW TO IDENTIFY NEW ZEALAND BIRDS 
Gouldian Finch (Poephila gouldiae), an Australian 
bird. 
Parrots and the Little Owl (Athene noctua) are 
among the birds which occasionally or habitually 
hold their food in their foot when feeding. Pukekos 
do the same. 
As regards plumage, young Hawks and Owls, etc., 
when hatched are almost naked, but grow long, soft 
down feathers. 
The young of Gannets are covered with short 
down. This down on Petrels and Albatrosses grows 
to a great length. Kingfishers never develop it; 
thus until the young birds are fully fledged they 
have almost the appearance of a hedgehog. As is 
well known, many of the Passerine birds, such as 
Thrushes, ete., are aggressively naked for a period. 
Amongst some birds, z.e. Gannets, Swallows, ete., the 
sexes are so exactly alike in colour as to be indis- 
tinguishable, whilst in the case of starlings, black- 
backed gulls, ete., the parents resemble each other, 
but the young are brown. 
Where the young immediately assume the garb 
of the older birds, like Crows and Kingfishers, they 
can only be recognised by their lack of brilliancy. 
Some birds take five years to reach mature 
plumage, as is the case with Hawks, such as the 
Montague Harrier (Circus cineraceus) and Eagles. 
Other birds, namely, Dottrels, Knots, Godwits, ete., 
and many other shore-birds, have a complete change 
of plumage in summer (known as the nuptial dress) 
and winter. 
Male and female Ducks after the breeding season 
assume a dull plumage somewhat similar to each 
other. This is known as the eclipse plumage, a term 
often a mystery to people. 
Rails, Grebes, and Ducks shed their quills all at 
once, thus being for a period helpless and unable to 
fly. Usually amongst birds, quills are lost and 
