Clues to aging birds at the feeders

Birds in their first summer

August 4, 2016 at 11:12PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Birds hatched this spring are coming to our feeders. How do you know if the bird is a juvenile or an adult? The two below, Northern Cardinal and Red-winged Blackbird, show clues. First-summer cardinals have black bills that eventually turn adult red. This bird is in that process. The blackbird shows a bit of red on the shoulder, soon to be his namesake markings, plus it has diagnostic rufous feather edges.

(James J. Williams /The Minnesota Star Tribune)
(James J. Williams /The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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