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Sunset and change of the coloration of feathers

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by Gyorgy Szimuly on Wed Feb 28, 2007 1:14 pm

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Dear Chatters,

Most probably many of you seen a Spotted Redshank in breeding plumage. We are just preparing a color ID plate for this species.
Our reference photo shows a completely brown plumage which normally should be carbon black.
My images taken just before 7PM in mid July in Central Europe. Do you have experience that warm lights around sundown change the black colors so drastically?
The question is important to be able to decide what should be illustrated in the book!

1st image
2nd image

Thanks: Szimi

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Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi)
United Kingdom
My 500px Bird Gallery
[url=https://szimistylebirding.wordpress.com]Birding Blog[/url]

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by Cliff Beittel on Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:28 pm

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Szimi,

According to Shorebirds by Hayman, Marchant, and Prater, the black plumage is held in breeding plumage only, which is often held only briefly in shorebirds. By mid-July, probably the bird was well beyond peak color--indeed, you can see some darker plumage remaining. Upperparts are described as brown-grey in nonbreeding birds. I think the images show a molting bird in warm light.

[b]Cliff Beittel[/b]
[url]http://www.agpix.com/cliffbeittel[/url]

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by Gyorgy Szimuly on Wed Feb 28, 2007 4:36 pm

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Cliff Beittel wrote:By mid-July, probably the bird was well beyond peak color--indeed, you can see some darker plumage remaining. Upperparts are described as brown-grey in nonbreeding birds. I think the images show a molting bird in warm light.

Yes, true but I was a bit surprised how the black looks brown soon after the full breeding plumage if the lights are warm.

Szimi

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Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi)
United Kingdom
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by JKSeidel on Thu Mar 01, 2007 10:04 am

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A possible explanation is something termed 'structural coloration'. A short explanation can be found here and a Google search for this effect as it pertains to birds' plumage turns up quite a few articles on how lighting affects what the eye perceives as color in plumage (there are several different mechanisms at work).

Jeffrey

[i]"Squirrels are just rats with better PR." - Anonymous[/i]

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by Gyorgy Szimuly on Fri Mar 02, 2007 4:59 pm

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I guess the answer is here at NSN. Fabiolad just posted a nice Oysty image in sunset: image is here
Szimi

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Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi)
United Kingdom
My 500px Bird Gallery
[url=https://szimistylebirding.wordpress.com]Birding Blog[/url]

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