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Chestnut-sided Warbler / Reinita de Costillas Castanas (Dendroica pensylvanica) |
QUICK TIPS:
| 1) Look
at the primary coverts - on HY/SY birds they brownish-gray with little or no edging and paler
than the adjacent greater coverts, while on AHY/ASY
birds they are blackish with grayish edging in
fall sometimes faded and indistinct by spring
2) Check
the tail - outer rectrices are relatively
narrow and tapered to a point on HY/SY birds, but broad and rounded on AHY/ASY birds
3)
Examine the flanks - FALL: AHY males have relatively distinct and extensive chestnut markings, limited and indistinct chestnut can be
seen on some AHY females and some HY males, and an absence of any chestnut can occur on AHY females, HY
males, and HY females ... SPRING: on females the
chestnut is relatively narrow and limited, and on
males fairly broad and extensive
4) In spring, look at the lores and moustache - on
males they are black, while on females they grayish with some black
5) In spring, look at the crown - typically it is yellow on males, and green on females, though the
distinction is not always clear and may depend on
lighting |
Note that there is a
fair amount of overlap in plumages, especially in fall, and
multiple characteristics should be assessed; for some
intermediate individuals age and especially sex may not be
reliably determined
Species account updated March 2009
Click here for additional photos of this species in the McGill Bird Observatory ID Photo Library |
Ageing and sexing overview:
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Spring: |
ASY - M
Yellow crown; solid black lores and moustache; broad and
extensive chestnut markings extending past the legs;
blackish primary coverts; broad and rounded rectrices |
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ASY - F
Greenish-yellow crown; grayish lores and moustache with some
black; moderate chestnut markings; blackish primary coverts;
broad and rounded rectrices |
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SY - M
Yellow crown; mostly black lores and moustache; broad and
extensive chestnut markings extending to near or beyond the
legs; brownish primary coverts |
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SY - F
Greenish crown; grayish or even whitish lores; grayish
moustache sometimes with black flecks; limited chestnut
markings; brownish primary coverts |
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SPRING: SY-F (second-year female) |
SY females are the least boldly marked, with the lores grayish rather than black, and the chestnut sides.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, Las Caletas (CR),
April 2008
SY Chestnut-sided Warblers of both sexes show a contrast between the paler primary coverts, primaries, and secondaries, compared to the darker basic or alternate feathers comprising the greater, median, and (not visible in this photo) lesser coverts. Note that, as in this photo, one or two tertials may be replaced also, contrasting noticeably with the adjacent unreplaced secondaries.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, Las Caletas (CR),
April 2008
SY Chestnut-sided Warblers of both sexes have narrow and pointed rectrices, but the extent of white is somewhat less on females.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer, Las Caletas (CR),
April 2008
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
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