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Thanks, thats what I thought it was but not sure because I have never =
seen the two descriptions used together.
=20
You are right about the molt change on the COMU. I have heard that the =
ones which live and breed around Britain come back to areas of breeding =
already in full alternate plumage in late November. They apparently =
start basic in late July too!! That means some of them are only in =
basic plumage for only about 3 months!!?
=20
In an article I have read by Forsell & Gould , 1980 they say that the =
Murres (except the Thick-billed) attain their state of basic plumage =
(with the distinctive marks on the head and neck), through a "complete =
molt". Also known as the "pre-basic molt". This consists of a loss of =
body and flight feathers occurring in late August to September, but only =
in the ones that are at least a year old. After this complete molt is =
finished it gives them their characteristic white throat and post ocular =
stripes one sees in the late fall and winter. =20
=20
The "partial molt" you are speaking of is a loss of just the head and =
body feathers but not the fight. It is sometimes referred to as the =
"pre-alternate molt". This occurs in late November on to March. The =
result of that is the characteristic breeding or "alternate" plumage =
they breed in.
=20
Hope this helps
Libor
-----Original Message-----
From: Pinguinus <Pinguinus at aol.com>
To: tweeters at u.washington.edu <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
Date: December 17, 1997 8:40 PM
Subject: Re: Puget Sound Gull and Murre molt
=20
=20
Just to clarify...I was lazy and didn't type out the more correct =
Glaucous-
winged X Western hybrid. "Puget Sound" Gull is the local name given =
to this
cross.
=20
I was also able to clarify molt and plumage sequence in Common =
Murre.
According to Bent (Life Histories of North American Diving Birds) pg =
178,=20
=20
" The adult winter plumage is worn for a short time only, as the =
prenuptial
molt sometimes begins as early as November and is completed in =
December. In
studying a large series of California Murres (Uria aalge =
californica, our
subspecies) I have been puzzeled to decide whether certain fall =
specimens were
molting into or out of the winter plumage, and I am led to infer =
that the
birds are nearly in a contimual molt throughout the fall, as the two =
molts
overlap."
=20
Since Bent is a bit out of date I checked a more recent source, =
Stanley Cramp
et al (Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North =
Africa,
Vol. IV) pg 182
=20
"Adult Pre-Breeding. Partial, November to the end of March; involves =
head,
throat, and neck, in 1- and 2- year- olds also the feathers of the =
of the
underparts and mantle."=20
=20
So it looks like the Common Murre has started its pre-breeding molt, =
in which
the feathers of the head, throat and neck are replaced- the white of =
the face,
chin and throat go from white to black.=20
=20
_____________________________
Alan J. Knue
pinguinus at aol.com
Seattle, WA 98117
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
=20
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<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>Thanks, thats =
what I=20
thought it was but not sure because I have never seen the two =
descriptions used=20
together.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#000000 face=3D"Comic Sans MS" =
size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>You are right about the <FONT =
color=3D#000000>molt </FONT>change on the COMU. I have heard that =
the ones=20
which live and breed around Britain come back to areas of breeding =
already in=20
full alternate plumage in late November. They apparently start =
basic in=20
late July too!! That means some of them are only in basic plumage =
for only=20
about 3 months!!?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>In an article I have read by =
Forsell=20
& Gould , 1980 they say that the Murres (except the Thick-billed) =
attain=20
their state of basic plumage (with the <FONT color=3D#000000>distinctive =
</FONT>marks on the head and neck), through a "complete =
molt". =20
Also known as the "pre-basic molt". This consists of a =
loss of=20
body and flight feathers occurring in late August to September, but only =
in the=20
ones that are at least a year old. After this complete molt is =
finished it=20
gives them their characteristic white throat and post ocular stripes one =
sees in=20
the late fall and winter. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>The "partial molt" =
you are=20
speaking of is a loss of just the head and body feathers but not the=20
fight. It is sometimes <FONT color=3D#000000>referred </FONT>to as =
the=20
"pre-alternate molt". This occurs in late November on to =
March. =20
The result of that is the characteristic breeding or =
"alternate"=20
plumage they breed in.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>Hope this helps</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" size=3D2>Libor</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE=20
style=3D"BORDER-LEFT: #000000 solid 2px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-LEFT: =
5px">
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2><B>-----Original =
Message-----</B><BR><B>From:=20
</B>Pinguinus <<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:Pinguinus at aol.com">Pinguinus at aol.com</A>><BR><B>To: =
</B><A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu">tweeters at u.washington.edu</A> =
<<A=20
=
href=3D"mailto:tweeters at u.washington.edu">tweeters at u.washington.edu</A>&g=
t;<BR><B>Date:=20
</B>December 17, 1997 8:40 PM<BR><B>Subject: </B>Re: Puget Sound =
Gull and=20
Murre molt<BR><BR></DIV></FONT>Just to clarify...I was lazy and =
didn't type=20
out the more correct Glaucous-<BR>winged X Western hybrid. =
"Puget=20
Sound" Gull is the local name given to this<BR>cross.<BR><BR>I =
was also=20
able to clarify molt and plumage sequence in Common =
Murre.<BR>According to=20
Bent (Life Histories of North American Diving Birds) pg 178, =
<BR><BR>"=20
The adult winter plumage is worn for a short time only, as the=20
prenuptial<BR>molt sometimes begins as early as November and is =
completed in=20
December. In<BR>studying a large series of California Murres (Uria =
aalge=20
californica, our<BR>subspecies) I have been puzzeled to decide =
whether=20
certain fall specimens were<BR>molting into or out of the winter =
plumage,=20
and I am led to infer that the<BR>birds are nearly in a contimual =
molt=20
throughout the fall, as the two molts<BR>overlap."<BR><BR>Since =
Bent is=20
a bit out of date I checked a more recent source, Stanley =
Cramp<BR>et al=20
(Handbook of the Birds of Europe, the Middle East and North=20
Africa,<BR>Vol. IV) pg 182<BR><BR>"Adult Pre-Breeding. Partial, =
November to the end of March; involves head,<BR>throat, and neck, in =
1- and=20
2- year- olds also the feathers of the of the<BR>underparts and=20
mantle." <BR><BR>So it looks like the Common Murre has started =
its=20
pre-breeding molt, in which<BR>the feathers of the head, throat and =
neck are=20
replaced- the white of the face,<BR>chin and throat go from white to =
black.=20
<BR><BR>_____________________________<BR> Alan J. =
Knue<BR> <A=20
href=3D"mailto:pinguinus at aol.com">pinguinus at aol.com</A><BR> =
Seattle, WA=20
98117<BR><BR> <BR> <BR> =
<BR><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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