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Marsh harrier age & sex? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Gduff
- Start date
not so easy anymore
cf https://britishbirds.co.uk/article/plumage-variability-of-marsh-harriers/
cf https://britishbirds.co.uk/article/plumage-variability-of-marsh-harriers/
Valéry Schollaert
Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s
With such a clean plumage and pale line on upper greater coverts, clearly a juvenile to me. Did I mess something Tom ?
Pale line looks perfect for fresh juvenile indeed, but than again I would expect a much darker juvenile plumage in juvenile and more orange head (which can be bleached by now), also juvenile greater coverts with light tips should be worn away almost completely by now in juvenile, so to me it does not look straightforward juvie. Clean plumage in adults in winter in species which undergo complete moult in autumn and winter is ok for adults too and pic is recent. And second calendar birds should show more white bases to underwing primaries
In summary: a mess
Valéry Schollaert
Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s
Pale line looks perfect for fresh juvenile indeed, but than again I would expect a much darker juvenile plumage in juvenile and more orange head (which can be bleached by now), also juvenile greater coverts with light tips should be worn away almost completely by now in juvenile, so to me it does not look straightforward juvie. Clean plumage in adults in winter in species which undergo complete moult in autumn and winter is ok for adults too and pic is recent. And second calendar birds should show more white bases to underwing primaries
In summary: a mess
This is variable IMO, for me it is ok for a juvie at this time of the year, they are getting paler with time indeed.
Valéry Schollaert
Respect animals, don't eat or wear their body or s
Pale line looks perfect for fresh juvenile indeed, but than again I would expect a much darker juvenile plumage in juvenile and more orange head (which can be bleached by now), also juvenile greater coverts with light tips should be worn away almost completely by now in juvenile, so to me it does not look straightforward juvie. Clean plumage in adults in winter in species which undergo complete moult in autumn and winter is ok for adults too and pic is recent. And second calendar birds should show more white bases to underwing primaries
In summary: a mess
I mean that all flight feathers seem to be exactly at the same stage, no one look more worn than another. In adults, as moult is not simultaneous, some feathers are fresher and other more used.
I agree on that
