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For birds that do not completely molt into full adult plumage the first time, a numbering system is used to signify which plumage it is in. For example, for the first time a bird enters basic plumage, the plumage is known as first basic plumage; the second, second basic plumage. The numbers are dropped after a bird achieves its full adult plumage.
The alternate plumage is often brighter than the basic plumage, for sexual display, but may also be cryptic to hide incubating birds that might be vulnerable on the nest. [ 7 ] The Humphrey–Parkes terminology requires some attention to detail to name moults and plumages correctly.
A field mark is a characteristic (e.g. in plumage) useful for species identification, usually birds. They are often used in field guides or identification keys. In a broader context, a field mark might be referred to as a character (e.g. "differential character" or "diagnostic character"). For birds this may include plumage, flight ...
A system of nomenclature for the plumage of birds proposed in 1959 by Philip S. Humphrey and Kenneth C. Parkes [10] to make the terminology for describing bird plumages more uniform. [257] Examples of Humphrey–Parkes terminology versus traditional terminology may be seen in the entries for prealternate moult and prebasic moult .
The plumage of first winter birds is the same as the adult winter plumage. However, their moult into first summer plumage occurs later in the year than in adults. First year birds often remain in winter plumage as late as May, and their first summer plumage usually retains some white feathers around the throat. [14]
In its breeding plumage it has orangish-rust upper parts, gray head and underparts and a distinctive reddish cap. In non-breeding plumage, the cap is brown and the facial markings are less distinct. The song is a trill and the bird has a piercing flight call that can be heard while it is migrating at night.
The average bird meal consisted of 90.8% honey bees and 9.2% beetles. [28] Predation is more likely when the bees are queening or during the peak of migration, from late March till mid-April, and in mid-September. Hives close to or under trees or overhead cables are at increased risk as the birds pounce on flying insects from these perches. [29]
The breeding adult has an unstreaked orange breast, bordered with dark markings below, and a white V on its back. In winter plumage identification is difficult, although it is shorter legged and longer winged than the little stint. Juveniles have more contrasting mantle plumage and weaker white lines down the back than their relative.