
In the juvenal plumase, the back, scapulars and tertials have a 
large subterminal area of black with a light-colored border varying 
from white to buff. The comparable feathers in the adult have a 
black basal area, followed distally by a grayish or cinnamon bar, 
followed by a narrow irregular subterminal black bar and terminate in 
a light border varying from gray to cinnamon. The differences between 
the juvenal anc the adult feather patterns are illustrated in Figures 
1 to 5. In addition to the above-mentioned difference, the indistinct 
barring of the juvenal wing coverts as contrasted with the distinct 
barring in equivalent adult feathers is brought out in Figure 5. 
Depending upon the degree of wear during mid-winter and spring, the 
edges of the adult feathers of the upper parts are frequently lost, and 
often only traces of even the subterminal black bar remains. In effect, 
the pattern appears superficially much like the juvenal patterns. In 
cases like this the placing of a white card under an individual feather 
aids observation sufficiently to discern the characteristics of pattern. 
To summarize the difference briefly, the basic diagnostic pattern of 
certain feathers on the upper parts of juvenal woodcock are black, 
tipped with light while in the adult the pattern is more complex,stert- 
ing basally with black, followed successively toward the tip by a 
light bar, a narrow irregular black bar and finally a light edging. 
The above age characters were determined from specimens, the ages 
of which had been determined through banding, by juveniles which still 
had some of the natal down present, and by adults knowm to have been 
breeding when collected. As an added verification, sketches of feathers 
were furnished to William G. Sheldon, Leader of the Massachusetts Co- 
operative Wildlife Research Unit, who checked the differences during 
his field studies of woodcock in Massachusetts. Sheldon (letter, July 
5, 1955) also furnished additional evidence:-"If any additional 
evidence is necessary, it might be of interest to you that three birds, 
with the juvenile feather pattern characteristics, 'peeped! when 
captured. This note was typical of what one hears in young birds 
which have not yet attained the power of flight. To date, there has 
been no cifficulty distinguishing ages of the birds captured." 
Since the woodcock begins nesting earlier than most American. 
species, and growth is very rapid, there is only a relatively short time 
in which the juvenal plumage is present or recognizable. Studies at 
present are inconclusive as to plumage separation of birds once the 
post-juvenel moult is completed. There is question also whether the 
movlt is partial or complete (Pettingill, 1936). If the post-juvenal 
moult is partial and certain feathers such as primaries, secondaries 
and rectrices are retained, further studies might reveal plumage 
characters by which birds of the year can be recognized in the fall and 
winter. An important adjunct to such studies would be specimens banded 
as juveniles, and subsequently recaptured during and after the post- 
juvenal moult. At present the only promising method of age determina-~ 
tion by external examination is by cloacal examination (Greeley,1953). 
4h 
