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Purple
Finch / Roselin pourpré (Carpodacus purpureus) |
Seasonal
status at MBO:
| JAN
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FEB
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MAR
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APR
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MAY
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JUN
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JUL
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AUG
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SEP
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OCT
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NOV
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DEC
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QUICK TIPS:
| 1) Look
at the overall appearance - only AHY/ASY males
have extensive reddish-purple plumage, while HY/SY
males are mostly to entirely brown with sometimes
a few reddish tinges, and females are entirely brown.
2) Look at
the outer rectrices - they are narrow and
pointed at the tip on HY/SY birds, and broad and
relatively rounded on AHY/ASY birds
3) Check the
primary coverts - they are narrow
and pointed and contrastingly paler than the
adjacent greater coverts on HY/SY birds, and
relatively broad and rounded and not contrasting
in colour or wear with the greater coverts on AHY/ASY
birds
4) Examine
the greater coverts - on some HY/SY birds there
is a visible moult limit between paler outer
coverts and darker inner coverts that have been
replaced; on other HY/SY birds and all AHY/ASY birds
there is no moult limit among the greater coverts
Species account updated January 2009 |
|
Ageing and sexing guidelines:
Ageing and sexing details:
|
JAN - JUL: after-second-year
male |
ASY males are easily recognizable by the
strong red/purple wash across the upper breast, head, back, and wings.
No other age or sex class has more than a trace of red. Colour may vary from deep red to purple and is often mottled with brown, as shown in the photos below.
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2005
Check for broad and truncate primary coverts on ASY Purple Finches.
Also, ASY males are the only age/sex class in which there is an
appreciable amount of red on the upper wing.
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007
Rectrices of ASY Purple Finches are noticeably more broad and truncate
than those of SY birds, which are usually quite pointed.
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2008
Photo by Marie-Anne
Hudson,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
JAN - JUL: after-second-year
female |
Plumage is brown and white, as is the case
for SY Purple Finches of both sexes. Wings and tail should be
checked to assess age, while the presence of a brood patch during the
breeding season can be used to separate females from males.
Check for broad and truncate primary coverts on ASY Purple Finches.
Also, on ASY birds the coverts are uniform in colour and wear.
Photo by Peter Pyle,
Big Sur Ornithology Lab (CA), May 2007
Rectrices of ASY Purple Finches are noticeably more broad and truncate
than those of SY birds, which are usually quite pointed.
Photo by Peter Pyle,
Big Sur Ornithology Lab (CA), May 2007
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
JAN - JUL: second-year
male |
SY male
Purple Finches may be entirely brown and white, but can also show faint
traces of red, especially on the head, upper breast, and wings.
However, sexing by cloacal protuberance is most reliable, and age should
be confirmed by wing and tail.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006
There may be a trace of red on the wings, as in the first photo below,
or none at all, as in the second. The outer primary coverts are
generally fairly narrow and tapered, with only narrow pale edging.
There may be a molt limit among the greater coverts
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006
SY Purple Finches of both sexes have relatively pointed outer rectrices; males may sometimes show a trace of red edging to the rump feathers.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2006
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
JAN - JUL: second-year
unknown |
SY birds entirely lacking red can be sexed
only by cloacal protuberance or brood patch; if these features are absent or cannot be checked, such birds should be considered sex unknown.
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007
The outer primary coverts are generally fairly narrow and tapered, with
only narrow pale edging. There may be a molt limit among the
greater coverts
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007
SY birds have relatively pointed outer rectrices (exaggerated in this photo by being wet).
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory (QC), May 2007
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
AUG - DEC: after-hatch-year
male |
Only AHY males have a purple/red wash over
their upper breast, head, back, and wings. Some individuals
retaining brown feathers, such as the male pictured below, may be
considered SY, while those seen in mid-moult replacing old red feathers can be considered ASY (e.g. third bird below).
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2004
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2008
AHY Purple Finches have broad and rounded primary coverts; males are even more easily identifiable as they are the only ones to have any red on the upper wing. Birds actively replacing primaries or secondaries (e.g. third photo below) can be safely considered AHY by that criterion alone, as the preformative molt does not include the flight feathers.
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008
Photo by James Junda,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2008
AHY Purple Finches have broad and rounded rectrices, and males are readily recognizable by the red rump. Note that some AHY birds may be seen in fall prior to molting their tail, as in the second photo below.
Photo by James Junda,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), September 2008
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), August 2008
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
AUG - DEC: after-hatch-year
female |
AHY females are brown and white, as are HY
Purple Finches of both sexes. The shape of the outer rectrices are
the easiest indicator of age, and moult patterns on the wing are also
useful.
Photo by James Junda,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008
AHY females show no moult
limit among the coverts, and have broad and truncate outer primary
coverts with fairly distinct pale edging.
Photo by James Junda,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008
The outer rectrices of AHY
Purple Finches are broad and quite rounded at the tip; on females the rump is brown rather than red.
Photo by James Junda,
McGill Bird Observatory (QC), October 2008
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
AUG - DEC: second-year
female |
Some AHY
birds can be reliably aged as SY at least until late in their prebasic
moult by the presence of very worn and faded unreplaced juvenal primary
coverts.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory, August 2005
Note the extreme contrast between the very faded
(and long) juvenal outer primary covert and the newly grown adult
coverts.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory, August 2005
SY birds have relatively pointed outer rectrices
prior to their prebasic moult; the individual in the photo below has
just replaced its tail and is showing broader rectrices typical of an
AHY bird. Note the very worn condition of the outer primaries.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory, August 2005
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
|
AUG - DEC: hatch-year
unknown |
HY
Purple Finches are heavily streaked brown/white all over, lacking reddish
tones anywhere. Sex can generally not be determined at this
age. HY birds are best separated from AHY females by having narrower
and more pointed primary coverts and rectrices.
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory, October 2004
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory, September 2007
HY Purple Finches may show a moult limit among
the greater coverts or between the replaced greater coverts and unreplaced primary coverts (e.g. the first photo below). The primary coverts have little pale
edging, and the outer coverts are relatively narrow and pointed.
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory, September 2007
Photo by Marie-Anne Hudson, McGill Bird Observatory, August 2007
HY Purple Finches have
pointed rectrices.
Photo by Barbara Frei,
McGill Bird Observatory, September 2007
Photo by Marcel Gahbauer,
McGill Bird Observatory, October 2005
RETURN TO AGE/SEX
OVERVIEW
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