jimpike2
immature female Northern Shoveler
Reeber (2015) justifiably affirms that aging of females is "difficult from middle of first winter, as formative plumage is very similar to definitive basic plumage." One means of doing so is by noting that adults have a complete prebasic molt, while immatures molt only "one to four tertials...and no to all sixteen rectrices" during the preformative molt (Pyle 2008). While a view of the upperwing coverts would be ideal, the tattered tertials on this individual make it extremely likely that it is an immature.
immature female Northern Shoveler
Reeber (2015) justifiably affirms that aging of females is "difficult from middle of first winter, as formative plumage is very similar to definitive basic plumage." One means of doing so is by noting that adults have a complete prebasic molt, while immatures molt only "one to four tertials...and no to all sixteen rectrices" during the preformative molt (Pyle 2008). While a view of the upperwing coverts would be ideal, the tattered tertials on this individual make it extremely likely that it is an immature.