A few immatures can be identified as males by the presence of one or more light gray middle or lesser coverts emerging among the darker feathers; however, the sex of most immatures cannot be determined.
Wing Character | Male | Female | ||
Adult | Immature | Immature | Adult | |
Tertial | Black; with broad longitudinal white stripes at rachis; acutely pointed; curve distally | Dark brown; three distal with longitudinal white stripes at rachis; shafts straight; tips acutely pointed and very frayed | Black; three distal with longitudinal white stripe at rachis; acutely pointed; curve distally | |
After molt: Similar to adult male | After molt: Similar to adult female | |||
Tertial coverts | Black and pointed | Dark brown and pointed; often frayed and faded | Black and pointed | |
Greater coverts | Broadly banded at tips with sharply defined white | Variably banded at tips with white which is often poorly defined and frequently with dark edging | Broadly banded at tips with sharply defined white | |
Middle and lesser coverts | Do not cover black basses of greater coverts | |||
Pale grey, broadly rounded over secondaries | Dark brown; tips often ragged and frayed | Broadly rounded; dark brown but slightly paler distally |