birding-aus

Banyule Snipe - argument for a male bird

To: <>, <>
Subject: Banyule Snipe - argument for a male bird
From: "Tim Dolby" <>
Date: Thu, 01 Nov 2001 13:05:35 +1100
Hi Michael et al,

In short on the issue of th Banyule Snipe I stand corrected in terms of its sex 
- in line with Fred Smith/ Peter Lansley etc, - it appears to be a female. 
However the basis of my initial analysis that the bird was male was as follows:

1. The bird was obviously immature.
2. This meant that the bird was either:
  a.) this year's birds - in which case it would be probably be hard to 
distinguish which sex it was! It may be just to early to tell.
  b.) last year's bird - in which case, if it was a female it should (?) show 
more characteristic (brighter) markings.
3. My inclination therefore was that it was last year's bird and consequently 
the duller markings suggested a male.

The crucial point that I missed however (sorry Russell) was the lack of any 
golden buff spotting on the wings! This is a bit of a give away and definitely 
tended towards female.

Conversely if it was this year's bird would these spot be so evident?  What do 
you think?

Yours somewhat corrected,

Tim




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