Age (Year Class) Codes
| NUMERIC CODE |
ALPHA CODE |
ALPHA TRANSLATION |
DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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". |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 3 | J | Juvenile | Nestling or recent fledgling, Unable to determine which new code to use. |
| 4 | L | Local | A young bird incapable of sustained flight. After a young bird achieves sustained flight it becomes an "HY" until December 31. |
| 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
| 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) |
