Camouflage Mishap

[Milvus]

Most birds produce very well camouflaged chicks, especially inland and wetland birds. But then in my photos, I came across these 3 Coot chicks. Just how does having a fluorescent red head help to hide you? :)
http://flic.kr/p/dPLMG7

[Old_Geezer]

Are they chicks ?

I'm guessing they don't help, but they appeal to the opposite sex; so they evolved to show the risky display whilst developing other ways to avoid getting eaten. If you can survive with such an obvious, "Hi predators I'm over here", sign then you must be resourceful and thus a good mate for your potential offspring.

[Old_Geezer]

I meant something along the lines of, "and thus seen as a good mate for having offspring with. "

[Mojo-Jo-Jo]

Trust me, they don't need camouflage. Coot mothers are fierce!

[Milvus]

They very new chicks OG. Here they are with a parent, savagely protected as Mojo says
http://flic.kr/p/dQDEeH

[giveup]

What a lovely picture.

[Old_Geezer]

Wow, well if they lose thhat plumage later it does seem a strange thing to have evolved. Maybe it's to stop the parents misplacing them ;-)

[Jonathan-Joe]

Not all coloration and pattern is for camouflage.
I found several references on the internet (eg Wiki) to adult coots deliberately killing some of their chicks, so that they could provide enough food for those surviving.
This site -
http://library.buffalo.edu/libraries/projects/cases/coots/coots.html
suggests that the more brightly coloured chicks are less likely to be killed, as the parent sees the brighter colours as an indication of greater fitness.

[Chipchopper]

Very interesting question, Milvus and not one I've given a great deal of thought to, they certainly do tend to stand out.
It seems to me that many species go through a vulnerable stage in their lives, I think this could be part of the 'survival of the fittest theory' comes in, where the hen will have 5 or 6 young and perhaps only 2 or 3 may survive, the others falling prey to predators, higher up in the food chain. the fortunate survivors, which may have had better skills to avoid being prey, would pass on their these qualities to their own young via their genes.
I agree that mother coots are very fierce protectors of their young but do not seem big on camouflage, even putting brightly colored objects ie crisp bags as part of the building structure of the nests.
I think though, if I had been born with a bright red head, I'd be wanting to grow up pretty fast! ;-)

[Milvus]

Good points Chipchopper. They do grow fast. These were taken in June. By July the red has gone, replaced by all over gunmetal blue/grey and a white throat