Turdus philomelos - Autumn - Ringers Digiguide

AGE – BEST CRITERIA:

In 1cy, moult contrasts are usually present in GC, most often in the inner or central part of the arm. Adult bird shows a uniform and freshly moulted plumage.

1cy:

Most birds include 2-6 inner GC in the post-juvenile moult. Juvenile outer GC show a slightly more rusty hue and often wider buff tips that reaches further down the shaft. Inner moulted post-juvenile feathers are slightly more olive and generally shows a smaller buff tip (or no pale tip at all). Note that size and shape of the pale tips varies in all ages, and is not safe to use for aging, but rather a mean to find the moult contrast together with the basic hue (rust/olive). Difference in wear between juvenile and post-juvenile GC is not always obvious in this species.
Juvenile RR are generally slightly more narrow and more pointed, but difficult birds are sometimes seen.
Juvenile TT are slightly more rusty than post-juvenile. Moult contrasts within the TT are not common, but instead they should be compared to inner GC (which most often are post-juvenile, being more olive than the juvenile TT).
Tips of juvenile PC are often slightly more loose/frayed than in adult, and the PC are generally somewhat paler and more rusty on the outer vane (and often, but not always, shows a smaller dark tip).

2cy+:

Whole plumage fresh, lacking moult contrasts.
GC are uniformly olive with rather small (or sometimes no) pale tips.
RR are generally slightly broader, more blunt tipped and often in better condition.
TT show the same olive hue as the inner GC.
PC are slightly more dense, crisp fresh, more olive and often with a slightly larger dark tip.

1 cy October. GC1-4 juvenile with a slight rusty hue and rather large buff tip, contrasting to post-juvenile inner GC5-10 which are slightly olive tinged and showing a smaller and more narrow pale tip. Note that juvenile GC also contrasts to the post-juvenile MC. [Specimen]

1 cy October. An individual showing a more restricted moult. All GC are juvenile, contrasting to post-juvenile MC (except for one single unmoulted juvenile MC that is slightly more vividly rusty and with a buff deep wedge along the shaft). [Specimen]

2cy+ October. Fresh adult wing showing lack of moult contrasts. [Specimen]

2cy+ October. Fresh adult wing lacking any moult contrasts. Note that this bird shows larger pale tips to the GC and MC. [Specimen]

1cy October. Juvenile RR are generally slightly more narrow and more pointed than in adult, but there is a variation in shape and difficult birds are sometimes seen. [Specimen]

1cy October, showing variation in shape of RR. [Specimen]

2cy+ October. RR are generally slightly broader, more blunt tipped and often in better condition. [Specimen]

2cy+ October, showing variation in shape of RR. [Specimen]

1cy October. Juvenile TT are slightly more rusty tinged than the olive post-juvenile inner GC. [Specimen]

1cy October. Another individual showing contrast between rusty juvenile TT and olive post-juvenile inner GC. [4632403]

2cy+ October. Uniformly olive post-breeding TT and GC. [Specimen]

2cy+ October, showing variation. [Specimen]

1cy October. Juvenile PC often show slightly more loose/frayed tips than in adult, and are generally somewhat paler and more rusty on the outer vane. Often, but not always, they show a smaller dark tip than adult. [Specimen]

1cy October, showing variation in PC pattern. [6432325]

Turdus philomelos - autumn