Scolopax rusticola - autumn

Woodcock

AGE – BEST CRITERIA:

1cy birds show moult contrasts in the wing. Typically, moult limits are found within the TT or between the TT and SS. Those with a more limited post-juv moult only replace the inner one-third GC but most moult all GC (the moult limit is then found between the outermost GC and PC). Often 1-3 AL are also included in the post-juv moult. 2cy+ birds show a uniform and fresh plumage with, on average, less orange/brown colouration, tending to be dominated by darker glossier brown and black tones.

 

Most ad birds are not possible to age further than 2cy+ due to the complete post-br moult. However, some ad arrest their moult before completion of SS and/or underwing GC. Hence, feathers retained in the post-br moult are still useful during autumn as they can usually be assigned to either juv or ad type, and thereby give the possibility to separate some 2cy and 3cy+ birds.

 

1cy:

  • Juv PP (especially outer PP) and SS are more worn, being of poorer quality compared to ad ones. The feathers are rather narrow with tapering and pointed tips (outer web tips of the SS and inner web tips of the inner PP are always noticeably convex). They show, on average, larger orange/brown wedges than ad resulting in a dominant rufous appearance.
  • Juv PC have broad orange/brown tips similar in colour to the neighbouring orange/brown wedges. They are narrower than ad, taper slightly and have rounded tips with a bleached dark brown ground colour.
  • Juv GC are rich orange/brown with less distinct and narrower black bars (often with limited or no grey centres) compared with ad. The feathers are approximately one-quarter shorter than subsequent generations.
  • Underwing GC and underwing PC are oblong, narrow, and taper towards a rounded tip. The darker areas are cold brown.
  • Juv TT are slightly or moderately worn with orange/brown bars contrasting with bleached dark brown bars containing grey centres. They are also less dense in structure than subsequent generations.
  • Juv RR are rounder, more worn and have a browner ground colour to the upper-side of the grey tips compared with ad.

2cy+:

  • Whole plumage fresh, dense and lacks moult contrasts.
  • PP and SS broad and glossy with bulbous blunt tips, often a slight concave tip to the inner web of the inner PP and the outer web of SS. Ad show, on average, smaller orange/brown wedges than juv, giving a cold brown/black dominance to the flight feathers.
  • PC with narrow beige or white tips, paler than the neighbouring orange/brown wedges. They are broad, blunt-tipped and have a glossy black ground colour.
  • GC are less orange/brown than juv with thick, distinct black bars (often with obvious grey centres). All feathers are a similar length.
  • Underwing GC and underwing PC are parallel sided, broad and have a blunt tip. The darker areas are glossy grey/black.
  • TT fresh with orange/brown bars contrasting with glossy black bars containing mottled grey centres.
  • RR all fresh with silver-grey upper-side tips.

2cy:

  • As 2cy+ but has at least one retained juv S and/or underwing GC.

3cy+:

  • As 2cy+ but has at least one retained post-br S and/or underwing GC from the previous year’s SC moult.

1cy October. Extensive post-juv moult with all LC, MC, GC, TT, AL1 and 3 moulted, contrasting with juvenile SS, PP, PC, AL2 and 4. [6456732]

1cy November. Limited post-juv moult and a very rufous toned individual. A warm dominance due to large orange/brown wedges, narrow black bars in the retained juv (outer two-third) GC and broad orange/brown PC tips the same colour as the neighbouring wedges. [6432541]

2cy+ November. Uniform fresh post-br wing. PP and SS blunt tipped and glossy grey/black. [6456734]

2cy+ October. Fresh and glossy black dominating over orange/brown wedges. [6449847]

2cy October. Arrested SS moult with retained juv SS5, 6 and 8 contrasting with an otherwise wholly post-br wing. [6454307]

3cy+ October. Arrested SS moult with retained ad-type SS1-4. The remainder of the wing is recent post-br. [6456729]

1cy October. Narrow PP with bleached and slightly worn tips, especially the outer ones. Convex tips to inner web of inner PP. [6449846]

1cy November. A fresher example, although still slightly bleached brown PP with outer ones worn near their tips. Convex tips to the inner web of inner PP. [6449849]

2cy+ October. Fresh post-br PP with broad and blunt tips. Concave tips to inner web of inner PP. Smaller orange/brown wedges giving less rufous impression than juv. [6449847]

2cy+ November. Fresh and broad PP with glossy black ground colour. [6454395]

1cy October. Bleached brown SS tapering to a point and contrasting with post-juv LC, MC, GC, and TT. [6456732]

2cy+ October. Concave tips to outer web of SS. [6449847]

2cy October. Arrested SS moult with retained juv SS5-6 and 8. The remainder of the wing is post-br. [6454307]

3cy+ October. Two generations of post-br SS. SS1-4 moulted in the previous calendar year, compared with the remaining post-br plumage from the current calendar year. [6456729]

1cy October. Typical juv PC with broad orange/brown wedges and tips of the same colour. [6432537]

1cy October. Juv PC with orange/brown tips, the same colour as the neighbouring wedges. AL1 and 3 are post-juv. [6456732]

2cy+ November. Post-br PC with blunt and paler tips than the neighbouring orange/brown wedges. Also note the glossy black ground colour. [6456734]

2cy+ October. Post-br PC, blunt-tipped and all with obvious white tips. [6456729]

1cy November. Inner one-third GC are post-juv. Retained juv GC short, narrow, and dominantly rufous with rounded tips. [6432541]

1cy October. All GC and CC post-juv except for juv GC1 which is one-quarter shorter and bleached compared with the neighbouring GC. [6432537]

2cy+ October. All GC post-br and of uniform length, blunt tipped with dominant black bars and grey centres. [6449847]

2cy+ November. All GC post-br and of uniform length with clear dark bars and grey centres. [6456734]

1cy October. All TT and visible GC are post-juv, contrasting with juv SS which are bleached with a brown ground colour and a stronger rufous tone. [6456732]

1cy October. TT1-5, all visible LC, MC, and GC post-juv. T6 and SS are juvenile, indicated by their rufous tone and moderately worn tips. [6432291]

2cy+, November. Entirely fresh post-br TT and SS which have a glossy black ground colour. [6456734]

2cy+, October. Post-br TT with glossy black bars, mottled grey centres and a colder tone compared with juv. [6454304]

1cy November. Gradually tapering underwing GC and underwing PC with rounded tips. The dark parts of the feathers have a brown ground colour. [6432541]

1cy October. Tapering and narrow rounded tips to underwing GC and underwing PC. [6432540]

2cy+ October. All underwing GC and underwing PC post-br with broad and blunt tips. They have a grey ground colour. [6449847]

2cy+ November. Underwing GC and underwing PC blunt tipped and with a grey ground colour. [6456734]

1cy November. Juv R1 retained on both sides, remaining RR post-juv. [6449849]

1cy November. An unusual example with all juv RR retained. These have rounded grey/brown tips. The longest uppertail coverts are also juv. [6130267]

2cy+ October. All RR post-br. [6449847]

2cy+ October. All RR post-br. [6456729]

More Scolopax rusticola:

Ageing spring
Moult

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