Age (Year Class) Codes
NUMERIC CODE |
ALPHA CODE |
ALPHA TRANSLATION |
|
| 0 | U | UNKNOWN |
A bird that cannot be placed in any classes below . Except in cases where data were not recorded or have been lost during the nesting season, ONLY BIRDS BANDED AFTER THE BREEDING SEASON AND BEFORE JANUARY 1 CAN BE CORRECTLY CODED "U". |
| 4 | L | LOCAL |
A young bird incapable of sustained flight. After a young bird achieves sustained flight it becomes an "HY" until December 31. |
| 3 | J | JUVENILE |
DISCONTINUED CODE. Old records with this code remaining in the data base could not be converted when the code was discontinued, because they include birds that could be "L", "HY" or "SY". |
| 2 | HY | HATCHING YEAR |
A bird capable of sustained flight and known to have hatched during the calendar year in which it was banded. Example: Banded 1997 - Hatched 1997. |
| 1 | AHY | AFTER HATCHING YEAR |
A bird known to have hatched before the calendar year of banding; year of hatch otherwise unknown. Example: Banded 1997 - Hatched before January 1, 1997. Birds that would have been coded "U" on December 31 "graduate" to class "AHY" on January 1. |
| 5 | SY | SECOND YEAR |
A bird known to have hatched in the calendar year preceding the year of banding and in its second calendar year of life. Example: Banded 1997 - Hatched 1996. |
| 6 | ASY | AFTER SECOND YEAR |
A bird known to have hatched earlier than the calendar year preceeding the year of banding; year of hatch otherwise unknown. Example: Banded 1997 - Hatched 1995 or earlier. |
| 7 | TY | THIRD YEAR |
A bird known to have hatched in the calendar year two years prior to the year of banding, now in its third calendar year of life. Example: Banded 1997 - Hatched 1995. |
| 8 | ATY | AFTER THIRD YEAR |
A bird known to have hatched prior to two years prior to the year of banding, now in at least its fourth calendar year of life. Example: Banded 1997 - Hatched 1994 or earlier. |
How Aged Codes
NUMERIC CODE |
Description |
| 0 | cloacal examination (waterfowl only) |
| 1 | adult plumage |
| 2 | juvenal plumage |
| 3 | eye color |
| A | nestling in nest--no flight feathers present |
| B | nestling in nest--flight feathers in pin |
| C | nestling recently fledged, incapable of powered flight |
| F | feather wear in the flight feathers |
| J | retained juvenal plumage (wispy tertials/notched tail etc) |
| L | molt limit present |
| M | multiple ages of remiges (wing feathers) |
| N | molt limit absent |
| P | primary covert shape and/or primary feather shape/wear |
| S | skulling (not including pinhole windows) |
| T | tail shape and tail wear |
| W | pinhole windows (see skulling) |
| X | Not attempted |
| Z | web tag (or other auxiliary marker) |
