Buteo lagopus - autumn

Rough-legged Buzzard

AGE – BEST CRITERIA:

1cy show a pale plumage with more diffuse dark patterning and no signs of moult. Older age classes show one (2cy) or two (3cy+) moult waves in the PP.

 

1cy:

  • Whole wing and tail uniform without any moult contrasts.
  • Dark tips to underside of SS and RR rather pale and diffuse.
  • Underwing-c pale cream coloured with no or sparse dark streaking.
  • Iris usually pale but may occasionally be rather warm brown.

2cy:

  • Moult contrast present in PP with retained 1-4 juv outermost feathers. Juv feathers are worn, brownish, often more pointed and shorter than adult generations.
  • Freshly moulted ad type SS and RR show distinct dark tips.
  • Some individuals retain a few juv SS or RR which are worn and still show diffuse juv pattern (in contrast to adjacent ad type feathers).
  • Underwing-c with bolder dark streaking (but note variation between the sexes).
  • Colour of iris warm brown.

3cy+:

  • Similar to 2cy, but no juv feathers are found among PP, SS or RR.
  • Several waves of moult are present in the wing, but even retained worn generations are of adult type.
  • Colour of iris warm brown.

1cy October. Whole wing uniform without any moult contrasts present. Dark tips to SS relatively pale and diffuse. Underwing-c pale cream coloured without dark streaking. [9119058]

1cy October, showing variation. Note variation in dark streaking to underwing-c. [9119061]

2cy October. A largely ad type wing but still showing retained juv PP1-2 (worn and brownish). Note that this bird shows uniform ad type SS with distinct dark tips. [9119074]

2cy October, showing variation. Note retained juv PP1-3 (and still growing P4) as well as several retained juv SS. [9119077]

3cy+ (male) October. Note ad type wing without any juv PP retained. Note also that several moult waves are seen among PP and SS, and that the retained worn generation is of ad type. [9119064]

3cy+ (probable female) November, showing variation. [9119071]

1cy October. Whole wing uniform without any moult contrasts present. [9119057]

1cy October, showing variation in a uniformly juv wing. [9119061]

2cy October. A largely ad type wing but still showing retained juv PP1-2 (worn and brownish). [9119054]

2cy October, showing variation. Note retained juv PP1-2 as well as a few retained juv SS. [9119076]

3cy+ (male) October. Note ad type wing without any juv PP retained. Note also that several moult waves are seen among PP and SS, and that the retained worn generation is of ad type. [9119059]

3cy+ (male) October, showing variation. [9119062]

1cy October. Dark tips to RR relatively pale and diffuse. [9119061]

1cy October, showing variation. [9119063]

2cy October. A uniform ad type tail with distinct dark tips. [9119076]

2cy October, showing several retained juv RR, worn and with rather diffuse dark tip. [9119077]

3cy+ (male) October. A uniform ad type tail. Note that several RR are still growing. [9119064]

3cy+ (female) October. Another ad type tail showing growing left R1 and retained ad type worn R3 and R5. [9119084]

1cy October with typically pale iris. [9119061]

1cy October, showing variation with a warmer iris, impossible to tell from older birds. [9119057]

2cy October. Iris dominantly warm brown, but note individual variation. [9119076]

2cy October, showing variation. [9119054]

3cy+ (male) October, showing variation. [9119064]

3cy+ (male) October, showing variation. [9119055]

More Buteo lagopus:

Sexing autumn
Moult

Ringers’ DigiGuide main page

Ringers’ DigiGuide is sponsored by:

Hemsidan producerad i samarbete med
BirdLife Sverige