Photo
8: LBBG 3cy, October 13 2001, Westkapelle, the Netherlands. Note the
very small mirror on p10, divided by the black shaft. The outer primary
have hardly visible white tips. The primary moult stage advocates 3cy: p10
almost full-grown. |
A few examples of
3cy LBBG with all grey upper-parts but with small tips on the outer
primaries and reduced mirror on p10.
As long as immature coverts and tertials
appear in the upper-parts, identification directly points to 3cy LBBG
(e.g. pronounced black shaft streaks, spaghetti pattern in the coverts,
club patterns on the outer lesser coverts in the carpal edge). When the
upper-parts appear all grey, LBBGs may not be aged so easily. But still
the primaries may be indicative for 3cy: the primary tips are very limited,
often absent on p7-10. P10 normally shows a white mirror, but this mirror
is reduced to a relatively small spot and often not reaching to the
feather edges. In preening birds or birds stretching the wings, the outer
secondaries may show some spaghetti pattern. The fresh tail feathers often
show black markings, especially on the outer webs. Finally, the bare part
coloration may point to immaturity, with extensive black on the bill (a
clear bill-band), the basal half of the bill black or pinkish, the legs
pinkish yellow and sometimes an off-yellow iris.
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