Sylvia borin - Autumn - Ringers Digiguide

AGE – BEST CRITERIA:

In 1cy, whole plumage is fresh, including wing and tail. Adult shows worn wing and tail. Birds from both age classes may or may not show moult contrasts in innermost GC7-10 (occasionally even further out in the wing).

1cy:

Whole wing is fresh. Signs of wear starts to show in tips of PP during mid or late autumn.
Tail is fresh and nearly always unifomly juvenile (and if a single R was moulted, both generations are in good condition).
Colour of iris is rather cold brownish-grey, but the difference to adult is not always obvious.

2cy+:

Whole wing is worn, often notably so in GC, PC and tips of PP. A few inner GC or a single T may be moulted (and then fresh).
Whole tail is worn, but occasionally single RR may have been included in the post-breeding moult.
Colour of iris is generally warmer greyish-brown.

1cy September. LC, MC and GC are fresh (regardless weather they are juvenile or post-juvenile). This bird included GC9-10 in the post-juvenile moult, showing a slight contrast to the adjecent juvenile GC. [1ET80115]

1cy September, showing the same extent of moult as the bird to the left. [JA26337]

2cy+ August. This bird shows an unusually extensive post-breeding moult with GC4-10 moulted, creating a sharp contrast to typically worn pre-breeding MC and GC. Note that most adult does not include any GC at all in the post-breeding moult, and that the two shown here are less typical in that respect. [1ET29928]

2cy+ August. Another adult showing extensive moult - GC6-8 are fresh post-breeding while innermost GC9-10 are pre-breeding (like rest of wing). Note the typically worn outer GC. [1ES24131]

1cy August. Uniform and typically fresh juvenile RR. [1ET80020]

1cy September, showing variation. [1ET80115]

2cy+ August. Note the typically worn pre-breeding tail of adult. [1ET80087]

2cy+ August. Most adult birds show uniform and worn pre-breeing RR, but note that this one lacks two feathers and, further, seems to have moulted left R6 and right R1. This is a rather odd pattern and may perhaps be the result from accidental loss during the spring/summer. [1ES24131]

1cy August, showing uniform and fresh juvenile TT. [1ES24206]

1cy August, showing variation. [1ET10603]

2cy+ August. Most adult birds show uniform and worn pre-breeing TT, but note that this one included the central feather in the post-breeding moult. [1ET29928]

2cy+ August, showing uniform and typically worn pre-breeding TT. [1ET80087]

1cy August. The juvenile PC are fresh with neat olive-brown edges during autumn. [1ET80020]

1cy September, showing variation. [JA26337]

2cy+ August. The pre-breeding PC in adult birds are brownish worn, with abrasion showing in tips and edges. [1ES24131]

2cy+ August, showing variation. [1ET80087]

1cy August. Colour of iris generally slightly colder brownish-grey than in adult, but the difference is not always marked. [1ET10603]

2cy+ August. Colour of iris is generally slightly warmer greyish-browm. [1ES24131]

Sylvia borin - autumn