Hypothetically, the brighter (and more structurally intact) plumage of birds that have molted more extensively in winter prior to spring migration could signal greater fitness.   It would, therefore, be interesting for someone to study (as a graduate research project, perhaps?) possible relationships among variation in 1) winter habitat quality, 2) the extent of prealternate molt (presumably affected by a bird's ability to sequester the resources over winter necessary for molting), and 3) the ability of birds to successfully acquire breeding territories, attract mates, and nest.  Based on extensive plumage variation in the species (within age and sex classes), resulting in large part  from a highly variable prealternate molt, Magnolia Warblers probably would be an excellent choice for such a study.

In autumn, rare migrant CCSPs present a real identification challenge, because they closely resemble the always abundant immature CHSPs, differing primarily in the color of the rump (gray in CHSP, buffy in CCSP) and by having a more distinct gray nape (back of the neck), more well-defined median crown stripe, and a darker malar streak (the line extending diagonally down from the corner of the bill).  In spring, however, when CHSPs are all sporting a bright reddish brown crown, the CCSP's resemblance to an immature CHSP in fall actually makes it stand out from the Spizella crowd!    This is the third Clay-colored ever banded at Powdermill:  the first was on October 14, 1984, and the second was on May 15, 1996.

In the photo below, the retained juvenal feathers of this SY male MYWA are all of its primary coverts (a few show at the right edge of the photo), all of its flight feathers (only the bases of these show along the bottom edge of the photo), and the alula (at the upper right corner); the first basic feathers (i.e., those that molted in to replace the equivalent juvenal feathers last fall) are the first three greater coverts (the outer three feathers of the lower wing bar) and the carpal covert (the half size covert immediately to their right), as well as scattered very worn and brownish lesser coverts (the small feathers immediately above the upper wing bar); the first alternate wing feathers include the inner seven greater coverts, as well as most of the median coverts (i.e., the upper wing bar) and the rest of the lesser coverts.

The first Prothonotary Warbler was banded at Powdermill in April 1966, the second not until sixteen years later, in May 1982.  The next three followed quickly in May of 1984, 1986, and 1987.  Finally, after another long hiatus, this time lasting fifteen years, we have banded our sixth PROW.  Today's bird was a beautiful ASY male.

•  Golden-winged Warbler (an SY female)

• and Wilson's Warbler (an ASY male)