The following is from Jerry Liguori (author of several books on raptors) which he made to me after seeing Doug Gochfelds photos:
"It is an adult. It has molted once, you can see some retained juv upperwing coverts. So, it is in its first year of adulthood. This plumage is identical to older adults in all regards except fleshy part coloration, which varies in the rate it changes from bluish to yellow between sexes (males a bit quicker -- in Prairie Falcon too, of which I show a spring in-hand juv male in HFEA [hawks from every angle]), and between the larger falcons. The legs, cere, and orbital ring are a typical color for this age. Of the falcons, it takes Gyr the longest for the fleshy parts to change color, and it is the feet that change quicker....but this also varies." Jerry Liguori -- - Luke www.birdsoflongisland.blogspot.com www.wildlongisland.blogspot.com -- NYSbirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/NYSbirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/nysbirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/NYSBirds-L 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/NYSB.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
