Appearance

Descriptions of molts and plumages here are for C. w. wilsonia . For descriptions of plumages in other subspecies, see Systematics, above.

Hatchlings

Completely downy. Crown, back, rump, wings, and thighs cream-buff, mottled with black; forehead, sides of head, underparts, outer joint of wings, and broad collar around neck white. Upperparts cryptically colored, rendering young camouflaged against sandy or rocky breeding substrate (Bent 1929).

Juvenal Plumage

No information on timing or sequence of Prejuvenal molt.

Juvenal plumage similar to Definitive Basic (adult) female plumage (see below), except duller, with less distinct (pale brown [Chandler 1989] or brown and buff [Hayman et al. 1986]) breast-band that is sometimes incomplete (Bent 1929, Hayman et al. 1986). Gray-brown feathers of mantle (and crown; Howell and Webb 1995) have dark-sepia subterminal lines and broad, pale (buffy) margins, creating scaly appearance (Palmer 1967, Hayman et al. 1986). Sexes alike.

Basic I Plumage

Prebasic I (postjuvenal) molt partial; body-feathers replaced, but much of Juvenal wing-feathering (both remiges and some wing-coverts) retained (Palmer 1967, Chandler 1989). No information on whether rectrices also retained.

Basic I plumage similar to Definitive Basic plumage (see below), except for presence of retained Juvenal wing-feathering. Retained Juvenal wing-coverts appear comparatively worn, contrasting with fairly fresh back-feathers (Chandler 1989).

Alternate I Plumage

Prealternate I molt partial; includes body-feathering (at least on head and breast; Bent 1929), but full extent of this molt is uncertain; some Juvenal wing-feathering still retained (Palmer 1967). Molt occurs Feb–Mar (Bent 1929).

In Alternate I males, black markings on head and breast that are typical of adult males in Definitive Alternate plumage (see below) are at least partially attained (Bent 1929). No specific information on appearance of Alternate I females, but they presumably resemble adult females.

Definitive Basic Plumage

Definitive Prebasic molt complete; occurs Jul–Oct (Bent 1929). Definitive Basic plumage worn from about Aug to Feb (Palmer 1967).

Both sexes similar to Definitive Alternate female (head- and breast-markings gray-brown; Hayman et al. 1986), but on average grayer (Palmer 1967); breast-band may be interrupted by white at center; feathers of crown, breast-band, back, scapulars, and wing-coverts also have pale margins and dark shaft-streaks (Chandler 1989). Males may have some black feathering within breast-band (Bent 1929).

Definitive Alternate Plumage

Definitive Prealternate molt partial; includes only body plumage, but extent of body-feather replacement undescribed; molt occurs Jan–Mar (Bent 1929). Plumage worn from about Feb to Aug (Palmer 1967).

Male. Forehead extensively white and normally contiguous with white supercilium, which extends past eye. Front of crown black; remainder of crown, nape, and ear-coverts gray-brown, variably tinged rufous. Black patch extends back from base of bill almost to eye. All underparts white, except for fairly broad black breast-band that extends only to sides of neck (tapering somewhat to a point). White of throat extends completely around hindneck, forming collar. Upperparts below white collar (including wing-coverts) gray-brown, and most feathers have paler margins. Lesser wing-coverts often darker than median wing-coverts, forming paler panel in midwing. Greater wing-coverts tipped white. Primaries blackish, with narrow whitish bases on inner feathers that decrease in extent toward outer feathers, but all primaries have white shafts. Secondaries dark, with slightly paler bases. White bases on primaries, together with white tips on greater-coverts, and pale bases on secondaries create white stripe across wing that is visible in flight. Rectrices colored as upperparts but central pair (R1) has subterminal dark patch; remaining rectrices tipped white, with white increasing toward outermost feathers, and outermost pair white (Palmer 1967, Hayman et al. 1986).

Female. Similar to male, except black areas on head and neck are replaced by gray-brown, white on forehead is reduced, and supercilium is tinged pale brown (Palmer 1967, Hayman et al. 1986).

Bill And Gape

Bill is comparatively long, black, and heavy (deep) in appearance.

Iris

Dark brown.

Legs And Feet

Pale; described as “pinkish or pinkish gray, brighter when breeding” (Hayman et al. 1986: 285), flesh (Palmer 1967), or dull flesh, becoming pinkish flesh during breeding season (Chandler 1989). Feet have well-developed web between basal phalanges of outer and middle toes (Palmer 1967).