blackshoulder question?

[nfrost]

I have seen pics and stuff on the internet about how the blackshoulder wings and stuff should turn black, well I have one that is 11-15 months old and I don't seem any significant changes since winter in his coloring, he has significant green on his tail for being young but just wondering how long it takes for him to change all the way!

 

[frenchblackcopper]

By that age you should see the black barring on the feathers getting wider and more black in color,,

 

[DAS]

It can take up to 3 years to get their full coloring. By 2 years he should have most of his coloring but will still show some white. Some may color out earlier. All depends on the individual bird.

 

[NateinFL]

By that age you should see the black barring on the feathers getting wider and more black in color,,

To the OP: Black-shoulders don't get "wider and more black barring" on their feathers. They simply get blackish/blue feathers that come in to replace the white/black feathers they once had. And the white feathers start molting to blue feathers. Just don't want you to be confused. My male had solid black/blue wings at 2 years but they probably don't mature the same based on location/weather/genes/etc.

 

[frenchblackcopper]

Nathowe,,I may be wrong and that has happened before,,but if your saying new feathers comes in replacing others,and these new feathers are black,,then why would any part of the new feather growing in be white,especially in the middle part? especially if they are coming in black,as you say? I sumize that the feather changes pigment as it grows,,and can get pics of males over 1 year old that are still not solid black on their wing feathers,,white is in the middle,,proving the feather doesn't come in a solid black color,,rather it changes color as it grows,,like I mentioned above,the barring disappears and the black gets more visual as the feather grows,,I can get pics????? ???? ???

 

[NateinFL]

Nathowe,,I may be wrong and that has happened before,,but if your saying new feathers comes in replacing others,and these new feathers are black,,then why would any part of the new feather growing in be white,especially in the middle part? especially if they are coming in black,as you say? I sumize that the feather changes pigment as it grows,,and can get pics of males over 1 year old that are still not solid black on their wing feathers,,white is in the middle,,proving the feather doesn't come in a solid black color,,rather it changes color as it grows,,like I mentioned above,the barring disappears and the black gets more visual as the feather grows,,I can get pics????? ???? ???

No new feathers of a yearling black shouldered male come in white. Not sure where that information came from. And feathers do not change colors as they grow. Here are pics from Fall 2008 and then Fall 2009. The white feathers on the neck come in blue and the wing feathers come in as a neat blueish green black color

 

[DAS]

No new feathers of a yearling black shouldered male come in white. Not sure where that information came from. And feathers do not change colors as they grow. Here are pics from Fall 2008 and then Fall 2009. The white feathers on the neck come in blue and the wing feathers come in as a neat blueish green black color

Agreed. As the bird molts, the new feathers grow in with the new color. Birds can molt 2x per year and they can lose individual feathers throughout the year. All of their juvenile feathers are replaced as the bird ages. The barring on the feathers may look like their expanding, but it's only because the feathers are growing.

 

[nfrost]

So is it normal for the black shoulders neck feathers aren't all that blue there more green right now is this normal?

 

[frenchblackcopper]

If this is the case,why do I see a lite brown-tan-rust pigment in the wing feathers of the bird in post #7?? They surely are not solid black,nor white,.nor blue,,or am I getting color blind? I was referring to your post #4 saying They simply get blackish/blue feathers that come in to replace the white/black feathers they once had If this is the case,that these feathers "come in" blackish/blue,,,where is all that tan-rust colored pigment coming from on the side of the wing on the bird in post #7? That tan-rust color will slowly be replaced with the pigment of black,,as the bird grows,,,your saying these feathers are already blackish/blue so where did the tan-rust color come from? These two colors are not mentioned anywhere,,but I can see them,,

 

[NateinFL]

I have seen pics and stuff on the internet about how the blackshoulder wings and stuff should turn black, well I have one that is 11-15 months old and I don't seem any significant changes since winter in his coloring, he has significant green on his tail for being young but just wondering how long it takes for him to change all the way!

Can you post us a pic of your bird please? That would be of great help...thanks