Appearance

The following information based on Bent 1926 and Palmer 1962 . Sexes alike; 2 morphs: white and dark; also intermediates—dark individuals with patches of white plumage. Predefinitive molts and plumages poorly known.

Genetic basis for color morphs unknown. In 1880s, 12–20% of population in n. Florida was white morph, proportion greater farther south, with white morph in majority; U.S. populations practically exterminated by plume hunters shortly after 1900. In mid-1950s or later, frequency of white morph about 5% in Texas (11 of 217 individuals; Bolen and Cottam 1973), 7% in Florida Bay; 92% on Great Inagua, s. Bahamas (232 of 251 individuals; Allen 1955); 31% at Sain Ka’an Bio-sphere Reserve, Quintana Roo, Mexico (11 of 35 young from among 17 nests; Lopez-Ornat and Ramo 1992); and 71% in Oaxaca, Mexico (44 of 62 individuals; Binford 1989).

Hatchlings

Dark Morph. Down of head and neck grayish cinnamon, remainder medium smoky gray. Down feathers from forehead to nape longer than others. Naked skin and bill dark olive, legs and feet darker.

White Morph. As in dark morph, except down white.

Juvenal Plumage

Acquired by complete Prejuvenal (postnatal) molt. Sequence of incoming plumage described as “back, flanks, neck, and head, in about that order; then flight feathers burst their sheaths, when the bird is from one-third to one-half grown.” Some down remains on hindneck and rump “until bird is nearly grown” (Bent 1926: 162 –163).

Dark Morph. Poorly known, but described as gray, dark slaty gray to paler with tinges of chestnut or auburn on head and neck, paler auburn on underparts, and grayish brown on upperparts (brown coloration eventually fades to paler colors); wing-coverts with rufous edges.

White Morph. Plumage white, other aspects as in dark morph.

Basic I Plumage

Extent of Prebasic I (Postjuvenal) molt undescribed; Basic I plumage said to be acquired gradually “beginning not long after attaining flight” (Palmer 1962: 449).

Dark Morph. Described as variable; overall a rather gray plumage, becoming darkest on the wings and tail and palest on the underparts; may be more or less suffused with rufous shades anywhere in plumage with almost solid “vinaceous tawny” on throat and lesser wing-coverts. Feathers of crown, neck, and underparts also broadly tipped or streaked with dull “wood brown” and back largely dull “wood brown.” All wing-coverts with rufous edges, retained from Juvenal plumage (Bent 1926: 163).

White Morph. Plumage white, other aspects as in dark morph.

Alternate I Plumage

Prealternate I molt poorly known, but includes “head, neck, and at least considerable body plumage” and occurs “before age 1 year” (Palmer 1962: 449), probably Mar–May.

Alternate I plumage similar to Basic I plumage except head and breast plumes partially acquired for the first time with short plumes present on at least head and neck. Juvenal wing-coverts all more or less retained and edged dull buff to rufous (Bent 1926).

Definitive Basic Plumage

According to Palmer (1962), Basic II is earliest stage at which Defini-tive Basic plumage acquired; whether some do not acquire Definitive Basic plumage until later requires confirmation with marked birds of known age. Definitive Basic plumage acquired by complete Definitive Prebasic molt “beginning toward end of breeding season or somewhat later” (Palmer 1962: 449).

Dark Morph. Much individual variation. Head and neck buffy brown, dark tawny rufous or brownish red. Back, wings, and tail dark neutral gray, dark slaty blue, medium gray, or medium bluish gray, with belly slightly paler. Contour feathers and wing-coverts may be edged in rufous. Plumes present and distributed as in Definitive Alternate plumage, but shorter and duller. Plumes on neck with paler tips. Plumes of back slaty blue, sometimes with reddish-brown cast. Wing-feathers eventually fade to flat brownish gray.

White Morph. Same as dark morph, but all feathering white, sometimes grayish mottling on primary tips.

Definitive Alternate Plumage

According to Palmer (1962), Alternate II is earliest stage at which Definitive Alternate plumage acquired. Definitive Prealternate molt includes “head, neck, and at least back feathers” and occurs “in early winter well before onset of breeding season” (Palmer 1962: 449).

Dark Morph. Similar to Definitive Basic plumage except plumes longer and more richly colored, and plumes of head and neck with purplish gloss. Head and neck chestnut with much elongated (7–9 cm), lanceolate plumes on head and neck from crown down nape to midneck produce a “mane”; plumes also on lower neck (10–12 cm), especially in front; mixture of lanceolate and filamentous plumes on back, longest (25–35 cm) filamentous plumes extending beyond tail; unworn lanceolate scapular plumes that extend beyond tail dark neutral gray with blackish gray central stripe. On some individuals (especially early in breeding season), head-plumes appear tawny or cinnamon by end of breeding season, head and neck color fade to dark cinnamon.

White Morph. Same as dark morph, but all feathering white.

Soft-part coloration similar in both dark- and white-morph individuals.

Bill And Gape

Immature (Juvenal to Basic I) usually with entirely black bill. Nonbreeding individuals and a few younger birds (by Alternate I) have base of bill pale flesh-color or pale violet with distal 30–50% black (occasionally mostly black); breeding individuals with base of bill brilliant pink, distal third lustrous jet black (Meyerriecks 1960).

Lores And Orbital Skin

Nonbreeding individuals, pale flesh-color to pale violet; breeding individuals, brilliant violet-blue (Meyerriecks 1960).

Iris

White to pale straw (Meyerriecks 1960).

Legs And Feet

Nonbreeding individuals, legs blue and feet blackish; breeding individuals legs brilliant blue (sometimes greenish blue in white-morph individuals) and feet blackish (Meyerriecks 1960) with sides and back of legs and bottom of feet turquoise blue (Paul 1996).