Hi Tweeters,

Can any one answer a question about bird molting patterns. I read recently,
in a work of fiction, that birds don't molt their tail feathers, and that
missing tail feathers are a sign of "old" age. We are looking for ways to
reliably identify our local nesting pair.

We have a female American Kestrel that has a central feather missing in her
tail. That is the same pattern we observed last year. She has nested two
years in a row in a nest box we built, and know that the same pair have
been mated for two seasons now.

We would appreciate any input on the subject

Sue
Zillah, WA