When submitting a bird description to any records committee, without a photograph, it is difficult for the observer and the recorder to fully comprehend many features described in the record - colour of plumage being one. Even a photograph can fail to truely represent reality.
So what I am asking is there somewhere a "file" of colours in some sort of swatch showing the range and variation of some of the more difficuly to describe colours where individual perception can readily vary.
If such a file does not exist, and I doubt it, why does no photographer(s) compile one. It could be saleable?
I give you an example - a cut and pasted photograph of the upperparts of a warbler held in the hand could go some way to defining the question I pose in the heading of this topic.
I think this is a pretty good idea.
There seem to be several experienced members here and perhaps they could contribute to what the range of genuine colours of certain species is in the field. Field guides used to rely on drawings but increasingly there are a number of guides, both in book form and on-line that use photographs. Much of the colour seems to depend on the equipment used and the light under which the picture is taken.
It would be very useful to have a reference which said something along the lines of "The underparts of a yellow wagtail tend to be like this whereas those of grey wagtail tend to be like this"
It may be a lot of work for someone or a group, especially as they wouldn't benefit as they already know the answer, but it's still a good idea.