What appears when a juvenile White-crowned Sparrow begins resolving toward first winter plumage?
Answer
The buffy crown starts resolving into clearer, though still often duller, white and black bands
The transition from juvenile plumage to adult appearance is gradual. Juvenile birds initially sport a dull, buffy-brown crown heavily streaked with darker markings. As the juvenile matures and approaches its first winter plumage, the head pattern undergoes a transformation. The buffy crown coloration begins to resolve, starting to show clearer bands that resemble the adult pattern, although these nascent bands are still often duller than those seen in full breeding adults. It is only after the completion of the first prebasic molt that the bird achieves the definitive, high-contrast adult pattern.
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