Biometrics, ageing, sexing and moult of the Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea teydea on Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Abstract

The Blue Chaffinch Fringilla teydea is one of a few Palearctic species for which biometric data are lacking from the field; we address this issue here. Blue Chaffinches were caught by mist net, at ten sites on Tenerife (Canary Islands), and measured. Data on biometrics and moult using standard methods are presented, and observations on mass variation in relation to time of day and body size are reported for the first time. Wing length, bill length, bill depth & tail were greater in adults and first year birds than juveniles whilst tarsus and mass were the same. The species shows a clear sexual dimorphism in size except for bill length. The duration of primary moult was estimated to be 66 days for adults. For first year birds (in their second‐calendar year), the mean starting date of primary moult was 25 days earlier than adults and was completed after 109 days.