Age and sex determination of juvenile band-tailed pigeons
Journal of Wildlife Management
By: J.A. White and C.E. Braun
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Abstract
Captive band-tailed pigeons (Columbafasciata) were studied to document progression of molts and plumages from juvenal to adult age. Immature pigeons began the post-juvenal molt at 35 days which continued up to 340 days. The only 3 plumage characters useful for identification and estimation of age were presence of juvenal lesser, middle, and greater secondary coverts, juvenal secondaries, and juvenal primaries. While juvenal primaries were still present, hatching dates could be estimated up to 252 days (N = 84). Secondary feather presence and molt stage could be used to identify juvenile pigeons for more than 340 days (N = 24). Using coloration of the crown and breast feathers, 96 percent of the immature pigeons examined (106 of 110) at 80 days of age were classified accurately as to sex.
| Publication type | Article |
|---|---|
| Publication Subtype | Journal Article |
| Title | Age and sex determination of juvenile band-tailed pigeons |
| Series title | Journal of Wildlife Management |
| Volume | 42 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Year Published | 1978 |
| Language | English |
| Contributing office(s) | Patuxent Wildlife Research Center |
| Description | 564-569 |
| Larger Work Type | Article |
| Larger Work Subtype | Journal Article |
| Larger Work Title | Journal of Wildlife Management |
| First page | 564 |
| Last page | 569 |
| Google Analytic Metrics | Metrics page |