How to Sex and Age American Woodcock

SEX AND AGE - WING

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AGE
Using Feathers 15-18 (secondaries)

JUVENILE		ADULT
A. Light-colored terminal band B. Distinct dark band separates light-colored terminal band from mottling below C. Mottling symmetrical on both sides of feather		A. Lack of distinct dark band B. Mottling not symmetrical, runs into light terminal band C. Little or no mottling

AGE SPECTRUM
Using Feathers 15-18 (secondaries)

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1. Distinct dark band separates light-colored buffy tip from mottling below. Mottling symmetrical on both sides of feather. 2. Same as above, slightly less mottling. 3. Distinct dark band present, but narrower than #1 and #2. 4. Much less mottling, but mottling is symmetrical. Dark band present. 5. Less mottling, but symmetrical, dark band present. 6. Feather appears more worn, dark band more faint but still separates buffy tip from symmetrical mottling below.		1. Dark band less intact, mottling on right side extends into buffy tip. Mottling not symmetrical. 2. Lack of distinct dark band. Mottling not symmetrical and it extends into buffy tip. 3. Asymmetrical mottling, lack of distinct dark band. 4. Asymmetrical mottling, lack of distinct dark band. 5. Much less mottling and it is asymmetric. No dark band. 6. Very little mottling. No dark band.

 
AGE - Retained Juvenile Feathers
Using Feathers 15-18 (secondaries)

Immature Female	Adult Female with Retained Feathers 15 and 16	Adult Female
Feathers 15-18 all juvenile	14 - Adult 15 & 16 - Juvenile 17 & 18 - Adult	Feathers 15-18 all adult

 
SEX CRITERIA
Using Feathers 1-3 (primaries)

Male	Female
A - Measure width of primaries 2 cm from tip
Sum of 3 feather widths: <= 12.4 mm	Sum of 3 feather widths: >= 12.6 mm

If sum of the widths of the outer 3 primaries is between 12.4 and 12.6 mm you must determine sex from wing chord measurement. (See diagram at top for location of wing chord measurement).

 
AGE - Adults with Emerging Primaries
Using Feathers 1-3 (primaries)

Male	Female
Outer 3 primaries still emerging	Outer 3 primaries still emerging

AGE - Adults and Juveniles
Using Magnified Tips of Feathers 1-3 (primaries)

Adult	Juvenile
Tips of barbs show wear with a persistent rachis	Tip of each barb's rachis wears/breaks off leaving a "V" at the end

An Adobe Acrobat (*pdf) version of this file is available as either a 2' X 3' poster (2.3 MB) or reduced to 8 1/2" X 11" letter paper (181 KB). The information on aging adults and juveniles using wing tips is available as a separate 8 1/2" X 11" document (227KB).

Reference: Martin, F.W. 1964. Woodcock age and sex determination from wings. J. Wildl. Manage. 28:287-293.