While I realize that the Humphrey-Parkes plumage and molt terminology is
used most widely by professionals, and is precise, it reminds me of a "four
no-trump" bid in bridge - its true meaning is obscure if you don't know the
convention (Blackwood).

"Breeding" plumage, "3rd year Bald Eagle" plumage, or "winter plumage" are
informal expressions that relate the plumage to the bird's life cycle.
"Basic," "alternate," and "supplemental" plumage, terms in the H-P system,
seem rather sterile, and not mnemonic - the words don't help you remember
their meaning.

I put the H-P terms in the same category with the 4-letter bander's codes -
for many birder's, they are too much trouble to decipher.  Personally, I
just don't like them.  In the first link that Phil Davis gave, the first set
of terms (General Terminology - Plumages) seems much more user friendly.

PS "Four no trump" means "Let's consider a slam - how many aces do you
have?"

Bill Ellis
Eldersburg, MD
billellis
at ellislist
dot com


-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Phil Davis
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 3:45 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Terminology question

Hi Janet, et al.

One issue is that various systems exist for plumage and molt 
terminology, so definitions can depend on what system you are dealing 
with. The system in most widespread usage is the Humphrey-Parkes 
(H-P) system, developed in 1959, so you probably want to use it for 
your baseline. ...