Turdus philomelos - Spring - Ringers Digiguide

AGE – BEST CRITERIA:

Autumn criterias are still applicable, though 2cy are more affected to wear during the winter than adult. In 2cy, moult contrasts are usually present in GC, most often in the inner or central part of the arm. Adult bird shows a uniform plumage lacking moult contrasts.

2cy:

Most birds included 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).
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).

3cy+:

Whole plumage uniform, 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.

2cy March. The outermost GC1-8 are unmoulted juvenile, with a slight rusty hue and rather large buff tip, contrasting to post-juvenile inner GC8-10 which are slightly olive tinged and showing a smaller and more diffuse pale tip. Note that juvenile GC also contrasts to the post-juvenile MC. [4611543]

2cy April. Another 2cy showing unmoulted juvenile GC1-6 in contrast to post-juvenile GC7-10. [4611588]

3cy+ March. Adult wing lacking any moult contrasts. [4632929]

3cy+ May showing some variation in pattern and wear of the GC. [4611682]

2cy March. Juvenile RR are generally slightly more narrow and more pointed than in adult. In this bird, several of the RR in the outer right half of the tail appears to be of adult type, and may perhaps be post-juvenile (although difference in wear is very slight). [4609887]

2cy March, showing a rather typical juvenile tail. [4611527]

3cy+ March. Adult RR are generally slightly broader, more blunt tipped and often in better condition. [4632929]

3cy+ March, showing variation in shape and wear of the RR. [4611563]

2cy March. Juvenile TT are slightly more rusty tinged than the olive post-juvenile inner GC, but during spring this difference is often difficult to detect. [4611527]

2cy April, showing variation. [4611588]

3cy+ March. Uniformly olive post-breeding TT and GC. [4632929]

3cy+ April, showing variation. [4609863]

2cy March. Juvenile PC often show slightly more worn/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. [4609862]

2cy April. Another individual showing some variation. [4611588]

Turdus philomelos - spring