Ageing criteria in the Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Williams, T.D.. 1991 Ageing criteria in the Starling Sturnus vulgaris. Ringing & Migration, 12 (3). 113-117. https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.1991.9674001

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03078698.1991.9674001

Abstract/Summary

The reliability of various criteria (throat feather length and the characteristics of rectrices and upper tail‐coverts) previously suggested for ageing Starlings was assessed using a sample of known‐aged birds. Total length of the longest throat feather was the most reliable criterion in male Starlings, correctly assigning age to 95% (n=83) of birds. Only 58% (n=28) of adult males had rectrices and tail‐coverts with complete ‘adult’ characteristics, and no first‐year males (n=55) had these feathers with complete ‘first‐year’ characteristics. In female Starlings, the best ageing criterion was length of the iridescent part of the longest throat feather but this only correctly assigned age to 56% (n=48) of birds. Only 14% of adult females (n=7) and 27% of first‐year females (n=41) had rectrices and upper tail‐coverts with complete ‘adult’ or ‘first‐year’ characteristics respectively.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.1991.9674001
ISSN:	0307-8698
NORA Subject Terms:	Biology and Microbiology
Date made live:	07 Jun 2018 13:27 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520232

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1080/03078698.1991.9674001

ISSN:

0307-8698

NORA Subject Terms:

Biology and Microbiology

Date made live:

07 Jun 2018 13:27 +0 (UTC)

URI:

https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/520232