Partial moult involving all the greater coverts in first-year Nightingales, Luscinia megarhynchos megarhynchos, in Italy

The European populations of the Nightingale Luscinia megarhynchos megarhynchos perform a moult strategy which involves a complete post-breeding moult in adults and a partial post-juvenile moult in first-years; both moults take place on the breeding grounds prior to autumn migration (Cramp 1988, Svensson 1992, Jenni & Winkler 1994). The post-juvenile moult includes the body feathers, between three and nine greater coverts, and occasionally the carpal covert, the smallest alula feather, and the innermost tertial (Jenni & Winkler 1994). Ginn & Melville (1983) and Cramp (1988) report that more than a single tertial may sometimes be moulted. […].

Ariele Magnani, Ringing & Migration (2004) 22, 59-60