Separation of Marsh Tit Poecile palustris from Willow Tit Poecile montana using a bill criterion

Broughton, Richard K.; Hinsley, Shelley A.; Bellamy, Paul E.. 2008 Separation of Marsh Tit Poecile palustris from Willow Tit Poecile montana using a bill criterion. Ringing & Migration, 24 (2). 101-103.

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Abstract/Summary

This short report describes how we tested the reliability of a proposed bill character for separating Marsh Tits and Willow Tits of several European races in the hand. Pooling all samples (395 birds), the probability of accurately identifying an unknown bird as a Marsh Tit or a Willow Tit, based only on the presence or absence of pale marks on both sides of the upper mandible, was 98.0%. The bill criterion was therefore validated as a highly reliable method of separating Marsh Tits and Willow Tits.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Programmes:	CEH Programmes pre-2009 publications > Biodiversity > BD01 Conservation and Restoration of Biodiversity > BD01.3 Population and community processes
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Pywell
ISSN:	0307-8698
Additional Keywords:	Ringing, Ornithology
NORA Subject Terms:	Zoology Ecology and Environment
Related URLs:	Publisher
Date made live:	02 Dec 2008 11:44 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/5018

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