Is this an old or young pheasant?

[Bob Peters]

Looking at spurs. They were sharp.

Shell is a 20.

 

[MNMEAD]

That one is straight out of the egg. Thumbs down. Quality over quantity.

That is 100% not this year's bird.

 

[GladHunter]

That one is straight out of the egg. Thumbs down. Quality over quantity.

That is 100% not this year's bird.

When will the web gurus figure out that we need a new punctuation character, the sarcastophe.

 

[Carguy2Banker]

I am guessing only a 2 year old...I would have probably passed on him to see what he may have become! *sarcasm*

 

[Limitless]

I'll agree that he isn't this year's bird. Probably 2nd year bird (different than a 2 year old). When they start to curve and are really sharp/slender at the tip, I start to wonder about the possibility of a 3rd year bird. Not a biologist, just my thought process.

My first bird today had smaller (shorter) spurs that were pointed,not dull. I assume that is a this year bird. But I sometimes wonder if those could be late hatch 2nd year birds. Still lean toward early this year bird.

 

[carptom1]

How about when they have gone white on the end similar to a fingernail?

 

[Citori16]

How about when they have gone white on the end similar to a fingernail?

Biologist told me that if the lower beak will hold the weight of the bird it is a 2nd year bird
If the beak collapses is a bird of the year

 

[Limitless]

Biologist told me that if the lower beak will hold the weight of the bird it is a 2nd year bird
If the beak collapses is a bird of the year

How did they define collapse?

 

[Limitless]

How about when they have gone white on the end similar to a fingernail?

I've always thought the white is the wearing off of the outer dark color. If the whole spur was white, then maybe more genetic variation. White tips is another thing where I start thinking they might be a 3rd year bird. More wear and tear.

 

[carptom1]

I've always thought the white is the wearing off of the outer dark color. If the whole spur was white, then maybe more genetic variation. White tips is another thing where I start thinking they might be a 3rd year bird. More wear and tear.

His tail feathers weren’t spectacular but he was a large bird body wise. It looked as if he was losing pigmentation on the end of his spur. I didn’t think to measure them. He was in the far corner of a piece of public in SD. Cattails with water next to cut corn. It was worth the walk for sure but I always feel a little melancholy killing those old ones.

 

[Limitless]

His tail feathers weren’t spectacular but he was a large bird body wise. It looked as if he was losing pigmentation on the end of his spur. I didn’t think to measure them. He was in the far corner of a piece of public in SD. Cattails with water next to cut corn. It was worth the walk for sure but I always feel a little melancholy killing those old ones.

He finally met his match. It was his time.

I always get a kick out of the loners that hide far away from the rest of the birds. There are some smart cookies out there.

 

[remy3424]

Posted these spurs in a different thread here. I think you can assume that if the spur has a sharp point they are at least a season old (1.5 yr) bird.

 

[Citori16]

How did they define collapse?

Open the beak and and hold the lower at the end between thumb and finger - if a young bird it will bend/collapse and not support the weight of the bird

 

[Limitless]

Open the beak and and hold the lower at the end between thumb and finger - if a young bird it will bend/collapse and not support the weight of the bird

Ah, like holding a bass by the lower lip. Got it.