Lukas Jenni (Swiss Ornithological Institute) Lukas Jenni Raffael Winkler Raffael Winkler Margret Bunzel-Drüke Margret Bunzel-Drüke Ondřej Kauzál Ondřej Kauzál Tereza Kauzálová Tereza Kauzálová Wolfgang Vogl (Konrad-Lorenz-Institute of Ethology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, Departments, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna) Wolfgang Vogl Olaf Zimball Olaf Zimball Irmi Zwahlen Irmi Zwahlen Taylor & Francis 2026 The moults of the smaller non-passerine landbirds differ substantially from those of most passerines, and so do the ageing criteria based on plumage characters. Sexing criteria may apply before the post-juvenile moult or appear only after. Again, knowing their moults is important. Here we describe the moults of the Eurasian Hoopoe Upupa epops, European Bee-eater Merops apiaster, Common Kingfisher Alcedo atthis ispida and A. a. atthis, Eurasian Wryneck Jynx torquilla, Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major, White-backed Woodpecker Dendrocopos leucotos, European Green Woodpecker Picus viridis, and Grey-headed Woodpecker Picus canus. For these species and some more woodpecker species (Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker Picoides tridactylus, Middle Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocoptes medius, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker Dryobates minor, Black Woodpecker Dryocopus martius) we provide plumage criteria for ageing and sexing, illustrated with graphs and photos. A particular feature of these species is the delayed moult of the primary coverts which provides reliable ageing criteria, and even the opportunity to age birds beyond the second year of life. PDFDocument eng 2026-10-13T08:41:19.898277376Z 2026 ageing criteria sexing criteria moult near-passerines 17758140 b application/pdf http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/