Differential Development of Breeding Plumage in Adult and Second-Year Male Ruffs Philomachus pugnax

Ardea

WÅ‚odzimierz Meissner¹  Natalia Karlionova²  Pavel Pinchuk² 

[1] 2 Avian Ecophysiology Unit, Dept. of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of GdaÅ„sk, Al. Legionów 9, 80-441 GdaÅ„sk, Poland;1 Institute of Zoology, Belarussian National Academy of Sciences, Academichnaya Str. 27, 220072 Minsk, Belarus

关键词: Spring Migration;   

DOI  :  

学科分类：动物科学

来源: Nederlandse Ornithologische Unie/Netherlands Ornithological Union

【 摘 要 】

Westudiedthedevelopmentofbreedingplumagein641RuffPhilomachuspugnaxmalesduringspringin2004–2006insouthernBelaruswithspecialemphasisonthegrowthrateofruffandtuftfeathers,whicharethemostcolourfulandspectacularpartsofthemaleplumage.Duringnorthwardmigration,maleRuffsarrivingintheendofMarchorearlyAprilshowedamixtureofwinterandstripedfeathers.Thefirstadultswithfullydevelopedbreedingplumagewererecordedinthelast10daysofAprilandtheproportionofindividualswithbreedingplumagegraduallyincreasedthroughspring.However,individualswithatleasttracesofwinterorstripedplumagewerecaughtduringthewholestudyperiod.Birdsdidnotshedthewholewinterplumageatonce,whichistypicalforRuffmalesinwesternEurope.Immature(secondyear)birdswerelessadvancedindevelopingbreedingplumagethanadults.Only20%ofall55trappedsecond-yearmaleswereinfullbreedingplumage.Duringthemainmigrationperiodtherewerenoannualdifferencesinthegrowthrateofbreedingplumagefeathers.Rufflengthsincreased1.6mm/dayinadultsand1.5mm/dayinsecond-yearmales,whereasthetuftgrew1.1mm/dayinadultsand1.0mm/dayinimmatures.Althoughgrowingratesofruffandtuftfeathersweresimilarinimmaturesandadults,immaturemalesstartedtomoultintobreedingplumagelaterthanadults,resultinginlessdevelopedbreedingplumagewhentheydepartedtothebreedinggrounds.Assecond-yearmaleshadlowerbodymassandslowerbodymassincreasethanadults,itwasproposedthatenergeticconstraintsduringmigrationarethemainreasonofdelayedmoultintobreedingplumageinimmaturebirds.

【 授权许可】

Unknown