Ageing and Sexing Workshop

The Ageing and Sexing Workshop is an advanced course and workshoppers are expected to be proficient in handling and extracting birds from nets. The workshop focuses on molt terminology, learning to age passerines using molt limits and other ageing criteria, interpreting the Pyle Guide, and using molt cycle terminology.

Workshoppers will initially be shown molt limits and ageing criteria by the trainers, will progress to ageing and sexing birds on their own, and will be “quizzed” by the final days of the workshop. Workshoppers are encouraged to observe and participate, as time allows, in the parts of the banding operation that interest them.

Much of the time will be spent in the field with live birds. These sessions will be complemented with afternoon or evening presentations and discussions. Workshoppers are encouraged to ask many questions and engage in discussions about the banding or ageing and sexing process. The afternoon presentations are meant to be interactive – workshoppers who ask questions and make it into a discussion rather than a lecture often benefit more.

The safety and well-being of every bird is our top priority, so every workshopper will not handle every bird. However, every effort will be made for workshoppers to see interesting molt limits, molt strategies, or species.