[texbirds] December male Ruddy Duck and male Lapland Longspur both in breeding plumage

  • From: Berner Family <jcazberner@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: "texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:08:33 -0800 (PST)

Texbirders:
 
Today at lunch amongst many female ruddy's and at least one hundred 
basic-plumaged male ruddys saw a lone male ruddy duck with a bright chestnut 
back (breeding plumage) at San Jacinto Monument (but no Long-Tailed Duck).
 
Last Friday (Dec 7) Bill Wright & I observed a male Lapland Longspur in its 
very colorful breeding plumage at Wilcox Sod Farms (Burleson County) in a small 
(basic plumaged) Lapland flock near the dead-end county road that runs through 
the sod farm.
 
Breeding plumage is apparently uncommon for either species in early December so 
thought I'd post.  
 
per Birds of North America Lapland Longspurs typically are...
 
In fresh (Basic) plumage (Aug–Dec), ... then transformed to breeding plumage 
by abrading of feather tips (Jan–Apr)
 
For ruddy ducks typically...
 
"A complete Definitive Prebasic molt begins in early Aug with Basic plumage 
retained through winter into early spring..."
"A Definitive Prealternate molt occurs in early to late spring, later in some 
individuals, but Alternate plumage generally attained in Mar–Apr and worn 
until Aug or occasionally later."
 
Good Birding.
John Berner
W.Houston/Katy
Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at 
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds

Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission 
from the List Owner

Other related posts:

  • » [texbirds] December male Ruddy Duck and male Lapland Longspur both in breeding plumage - Berner Family
  1. Home
  2. texbirds
  3. Archive
  4. 12-2012