Re: Black-throated Blue females ?

Warblerick@aol.com
Sun, 4 Oct 1998 12:14:54 EDT


Paul, 
 I think the "mark" Darius is referring to  is not the "wing flag" but rather
a whitish (or perhaps buff colored; hard to tell in the low-light understory
they frequent) line which seems to be on the edge of the wing (the alula, as
Darius said). I have seen it on at least two birds this fall, which I think
were FEMALES, not males. As you said, Y-O-Y    males are already moulted into
a male-like plumage when they come through here, and only females would be
brownish backed at this time. I think that perhaps they are young-of-the-year
females, but I'm not certain. Also, both the birds I saw DID have (as far as I
can recall) the wing-flag, albeit a rather small one.  
 
 Sorry to cause any confusion. I have checked all my references and still
cannot find any bird with this mark either, but it does exist, at least in a
small population. Any bird-banders out there familiar with in-hand field marks
on female Black-throated Blue Warblers?

Rick Sussman
Ashton, MD 
Warblerick@aol.com