Idris & Telyn: How to Tell Them Apart?

Idris & Telyn: How to Tell Them Apart?

What to Look For

Is there an easy way to tell Idris and Telyn apart, especially if their legs are obscured?

Telyn

  • Around 15% larger - easy to tell when they are positioned next to each other on the same focal plane
  • Slightly darker head plumage
  • Darker chest plumage
  • Lighter coloured yellow eyes
  • Has iris dots in both eyes
  • (behaviour) Does approx 80% of the incubation; only Telyn food solicits
  • Ringed - Blue 3J on right leg, metal (BTO) ring left leg

Telyn - Blue 3J ring, right leg

Telyn. © MWT

Telyn. © MWT

Idris

  • Unringed
  • Paler chest plumage - typical of males
  • Has a whiter head (a bit like Dai Dot)
  • Has 'eyebrows'! Brown plumage immediately above the eyes (white in Telyn)
  • Stripe on the back of the head - straighter than Telyn's
  • Hardly any iris dots
  • Slightly darker, mustard coloured eyes
  • (behaviour) More often seen on Monty Perch and lower perches
  • (behaviour) Does all the fishing at the moment, so only Idris is seen with a live, uneaten fish
  • Very pale underwings, hardly any brown plumage 

Idris has no leg rings

© MWT, Idris

Idris. © MWT