ML640885955

Observation details

Female in wing and body molt, probably an adult, determined by the extent of primary molt. However, Pyle (2022. Identification Guide to North American Birds, part I, Second Edition. Slate Creek Press, Bolinas, CA) states that a small percentage of hatch-year HOFI can replace juvenile plumage with a complete or virtually complete preformative molt. This female is still holding her old 9th primary (outermost), which is paler and browner than all the newly replaced primaries proximal to the outermost. I cannot decide whether the growing feather among the greater primary coverts is a primary covert or primary 8, having just begun growing. I'd guess a covert, but the new feather doesn't have quite the distinct paler outer fringes that the inner greater primary coverts have. I don't recall the shape of the tips of HOFI outer primaries, but I don't remember them being so angular, so I'd guess a misplaced greater primary covert. Perhaps Peter will let me know what he thinks.