Bird Measurements - ISL Peru
Gideon Erkenswick, Mrinalini Watsa, Jorge Luis Mendoza-Silva, Cristian Tirapelle
Abstract
This protocol describes how to collect the relevant measurements during bird processing.
Steps
Lengths
If requested: measure the total length of the bird using a tape measure or callipers. Align the bird's neck and measure from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail. Avoid stretching the bird's neck when you are doing this.
The wing measurements are taken from the fold of the closed wing to the tip of the longest feather, first with a naturally positioned wing ( wing chord )then with a flattened wing .
To measure the length of the tail , find the point of the rump and measure to the tip of the longest tail feather.
Bill measurements
Bill measurements :
The exposed culmen measures the distance between the tip of the bill and the edge of the feathering at the base of the upper bill.
Culmen: from the opening of the nostrils to the tip o the bill
Bill width : measured with the calliper from side to side at the anterior end of the nostrils:
Bill depth : distance between the dorsal and ventral aspect of the beak, measured at the anterior end of the nostrils.
head length is measured with a calliper from the tip of the beak till the back of the skull:
Tarsus length is measured with a caliper and it represents the distance between the depression in the intertarsal joint anteriorly, to the distal end of the last leg scale before the toes diverge distally.