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Aging Bobwhite Quail
(Colinus virginianus) by Wings
Information Source: South Carolina Agricultural Educationwww.scaged.org
Determining Age
LOOK FOR:
1) Color of the primary covert feathers
2) Molting and replacement of primary feathers of their wings.
Buffy-tipped primary = juvenile quailAbsence of buffy-tipped primary coverts = adult
bird
Wing Parts
Primary feathers
Primary coverts Alula feathers
Juvenile
Buffy-colored tips of the primary coverts.
Buffy-tipped primary coverts (juvenile)
Adult
Absence of buffy-tipped primary coverts.
No buffy-tipped primary coverts (adult)
Primary Feathers
Primaries are also called flight feathers. They are numbered from 10 to 1 starting from
the outside and counting in.
10
98
76 5 4 3 2 1
Primary feathers
Primary coverts Alula feathers
Feather Molt
Primaries are molted and replaced starting with #1. Primaries #9 & #10 are not molted until the bird is an adult.
10
98
76 5 4 3 2 1
Primary feathers
Primary coverts Alula feathers
Adult in Molt
The absence of buffy-tipped coverts reveal that this bird is an adult even though the #8 primary is being replaced
No buffy-tipped primary coverts (adult)
#8 primary being replaced