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Some of the most interesting animal stuff at the zoo goes on behind the scenes. Today’s (non-)exhibit: a baby crested coua, born last month and being hand-reared out of public view at the Central Park Zoo.

Check out the crazy markings inside its mouth. The zoo has not been selling ad space to Target on its animals’ bodies (though that might be a good revenue generator). Rather, the zoo says, the markings, different for each coua chick, are believed to be used by parents for identification or to visually remind them where to put the food. They fade as the bird matures.

The coua is a kind of cuckoo native to Madagascar. The Central Park Zoo says it is only the fourth American zoo to have successfully reared a coua chick. The zoo’s couas are currently off-exhibit for the winter; officials said they did not know when, or if, this one would go on display.