This page is for resources for ringers about identifying, ageing and sexing birds in the hand. Most items are pdf files (others will be uploaded in the future). Right click on the species of interest and click 'Save target as' to save to your computer.

Penguins

African Peguin sexing

Ducks

Ducks cloacal sexing

Flamingos

Flamingos identification of chicks

Raptors

Black-shouldered Kites potential sexing
Black-shouldered Kites pelvic separation

Coots

Coots failure to sex

Waders

Ringed Plover ageing
Kittlitz Plover ageing
Kittlitz Plover ageing - addendum on weights
Crowned Plover ageing using moult
waders ageing using moult
waders ageing using moult
Curlew Sandpipers ageing
Little Stint ageing, sexing
Ruff ageing, sexing

Terns

Common Terns ageing

Doves

Laughing Doves ageing

Passerines

Passerines number of visible primaries
Passerines potential ageing & sexing problems
Passerines potential ageing & sexing problems - reply

Swallows

Barn Swallow subspecies (566 kb)
SA Cliff Swallow ageing, sexing

Bulbuls

Cape Bulbuls ageing, sexing

Thrushes & Chats

Thrushes ageing, sexing
Anteating Chat ageing, sexing

Warblers

Email Kobie Raijmakers

Sugarbirds & sunbirds

Cape Sugarbird ageing, sexing
Gurney's Sugarbird ageing, sexing
sunbirds identification, ageing, sexing
Miombo Double-collared Sunbrid ageing, sexing
Greater Double-collared Sunbrid ageing, sexing

Weavers

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver sexing (725 kb)

Cape Weaver identification, ageing & sexing

Cape Weaver identification, ageing & sexing - errata

Cape Weaver identification, ageing & sexing (261 kb) - reprint

Cape Weaver caution

Brown-throated Weaver identification, ageing & sexing (462 kb)

Thick-billed Weaver ageing & sexing(497 kb)

Thick-billed Weaver plumage aberrations

Thick-billed Weaver plumage aberrations

Red Bishop identification, ageing & sexing (531 kb)

Yellow Bishop identification, ageing & sexing (531 kb)

Waxbills to canaries

Waxbills ageing

Common Waxbill ageing, sexing

Red-headed Finch ageing, sexing

Bronze Mannikin ageing

Pin-tailed Whydah identification, ageing & sexing

Forest Canary ageing, sexing

General

Waxbills failure of otoscope for sexing