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Fig.1. 2nd calendar year (same bird as figure 2) Note dark grey bill base, without black mottling). The pale tip is rather small, but has a slight pinkish hue to the yellow. © Paul Hackett. |
Fig.2. 2nd calendar year (same bird as figure 1). Note extensive dark tips on the primaries (more than usual on the inner ones), on the outermost and the two innermost secondaries, and on the primary coverts. Pale lores and a dull brownish eye are good characters as well. © Paul Hackett. |
The first generation of wing feathers is moulted during the second autumn (or more correctly from summer-winter - the exact moulting scheme is not known, due to lacking data). The second generation of primaries varies a lot in appearance. The inner primaries (which are moulted first) can be similar to those of the 1st generation, but the innermost 3-5 feathers usually lack black tips, and only show black shafts or no black markings at all. The outer primaries usually lack dark outer webs, and only show black tips which vary in size. The outer primary coverts usually have black shafts and small black tips. Rarely, all 2nd generation wing feathers are completely white. This may apply to as many as 10 % of the birds that have completed their moult (that is, 3rd calendar year birds in spring). In the field, birds with only black shafts or small black tips on the primaries appear completely white-winged.
In general, 3rd calendar year birds in spring closely resemble older birds, and some, which show limited or no black markings on the wings, cannot be positively aged. In spring, most lack yellow breast band, but rarely a faint one is present. While considering this, it's important to remember that older spring birds may lack breast band as well, due to poor condition. 3rd calendar year birds nearly always acquire plumes in spring, usually rather short and white, but sometimes as long and yellow as in older birds. The yellow throat pouch often has orange red borders. The bill pattern is usually identical to that of older birds, but some 3rd calendar year birds may have a slight pinkish hue to the yellow, and/or clearly more extensive yellow. Still, the bill pattern can't be used as anything but an indication of the age. The lores are dark in spring and summer. As in 2nd calendar year, the colour of the legs is more greyish than on older birds, but this is probably difficult to judge on lone birds in the field. On birds feeding in water the legs may appear black, as in adults. The colour of the iris is intensively red.
Fig.3. 3rd calendar year (same bird as fig.4). A rather typical bird, showing an adult-like bill pattern and eye colour as well as dark lores, but grey tibia and black on wing (hard to see in this picture).© Stephen Blain |
During autumn most 3rd calendar year birds acquire completely white primaries. Perhaps 10 % still have small black tips on the outer primaries, and a few more show some black shafts. These black markings are very hard to see in the field.
Fig.4. 3rd calendar year (same bird as fig.3). © Stephen Blain. |
The most important age characters
Plume | Breast band | Bill | Leg colour | Iris colour | Wing pattern | |
1st cy autumn | No | No | Flesh coloured | (Pinkish) grey | Brownish red | Extensive black |
2nd cy spring | Sometimes a white tuft | No | Extensive yellow tip, grey base | Grey | (Brownish) red | Extensive black |
3rd cy spring | Usually short and white | No (rarely faint) | Generally more yellow than in 4th+ cy | Dark grey | Intensively red | Usually little black |
4th cy+ spring | Long yellow | Yes | Varies, but limited yellow tip | Black | Intensively red |
No black (4th cy may show some) |
Fig.5. 2nd calendar year bird. Compare with the bird in figure 4. Note still greyer legs, duller eye and pale lores. © Stephen Blain. |
Acknowledgements
Many thanks to Erik Hirschfeld for information about the Swedish findings, to Bjorn Malmhagen for valuable comments on the script, to Stephen Blain, Nigel Blake, Paul Hackett and Mark Lynes for allowing me to use their photos, to the staff at the BMNH in Tring and UZM in Copenhagen and last but not least to Otto Overdijk for information and help with field studies in Holland.
More Spoonbill images at surfbirds:
1: http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/ukstoppress-july0501.html The picture with two birds feeding together shows a 2nd calendar year bird and a 3rd calendar year bird. Note the greyer legs, bill and lores of the younger bird. (The older bird is also shown in URL #2 (below) and in figures 3 and 4 above, and the younger bird is shown in figure 5 above).
2: http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/ukstoppress-july-0401.html 3rd calendar year bird (same as in URL #1 and figures 3 and 4). Note dark red iris, black wing tip (most probably more extensive than ever shown by 4th calendar year), and adult-like bill with a watered base and a small yellow tip.
3: http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/ukstoppress-july-0301.html 2nd calendar year bird. (same bird as in picture 2 and 3) Adult-like bill (although too grey and not watered), but greyish tibia, extensive dark wingtip, pale lores and a rather dull eye colour (hard to judge though) favours 2nd calendar year.
4: http://www.surfbirds.com/Rarities/ukstoppress0_09.html This is not a 1st summer bird, most probably a 2nd summer. Note dark lores, dark legs, and dark, black base of the bill, which are all characters that don't fit with a 2nd calendar year bird. Although hard to see, the eyes look dark red, not brownish. Rather extensive black on the outer web of the outermost primary (seen on the lower right picture) suggests a 3rd calendar year bird.