Photo 26: 2cy LBBG, July 14 2002, Papegaaienbek - Maasvlakte, the Netherlands.
This bird is actively moulting the tail with the
central tail-feather R1 replaced and with R6 still old juvenile. All secondaries
are still juvenile. Primary moult has arrived at P6, which is still juvenile
while P4 is almost fully grown already.
Moult in the wing is complex, with a few feathers very old, though second
generation, probably moulted last winter. In the greater coverts, the innermost
feather is very worn and bleached pale brown and this is the oldest feather in
this tract. Two feathers are worn as well, greater coverts #3 and #4. In between
is #2, which is dark and obvious fresher than the adjacent feathers. The central
and outer greater coverts were replaced last in line and are dark grey, pretty
different in pattern from the inner greater coverts, although all greater
coverts are probably of the same generation. The upper two tertials are dropped
and the very tips are already visible. The inner median coverts are slightly
worn at the tips, the outer medians were replaced more recently. The lower
lesser and lesser coverts are more or less in the same condition as the median
coverts, but a few moult gaps are visible in the outer lower lessers and in the
central lesser coverts. In the scapulars, the last moulted feathers can be found
in the rear lowest row of lower scapulars.