About Immatures

Appearance of the Immature Bird

Immature Bare-Necked Umbrellabirds of both sexes closely resemble an adult female, showing a deep-brown eye, a small crest, a small bare red skin patch on the front of the neck, and black legs and feet. The maxilla (upper beak) is black, while the lower mandible is lighter in color.

The Challenge of Identification

In the field, a first-year male is nearly impossible to sex and is often misidentified as a female. Bare-Necked Umbrellabirds appear to have a very slow molt cycle that may take many months to complete. All birds we have captured for banding have shown no sign of molt in process during the months of February to early June.

The Importance of Banding

If it were not for the colored leg bands we place on chicks before fledging, we would never be able to determine the sex of a one-year-old individual until it returns to the research area two or more years after fledging. A first-year male has the size, body, and head shape of a female.

Distinguishing Features (and Their Risks)

The first-year male does show a very small, naked, fleshy red patch at the lower throat/upper chest area that will one day form into a vocal sac. However, do not let that red patch sway your conclusion from female to male. In the early days of our observations, we once followed a young bird all day on its foraging expeditions, only to realize later it was a female. Females can show their naked, fleshy red patch along the front of the neck as well, especially while sallying for fruits or foraging with their necks outstretched while reaching for food items above their heads.