orientaldkf
Well-known member
There was a recent record of a Black-naped Monarch in Singapore and the bird was ruled an escapee due to the damage to its feathers. Similar cases have happened before, with rare occurrences being ruled out due to extensive wear of the bird's feathers. This got me thinking on how reliable is the wear and damage of feathers (e.g. rectrices, tertials) in assessing if a bird is an escapee (such as in the case of the monarch above)? How do you distinguish between a very worn migrant/vagrant vs a released bird in poor plumage condition?
Appreciate all thoughts and opinions on this topic.
Appreciate all thoughts and opinions on this topic.
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