Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

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Jukema J., van Rhijn J.G., Olsson P. & Piersma T. (2013) In tundra plovers the frequency of inner flight feather replacement varies with length of long-distance flights. ARDEA 101 (2): 121-132
The repair jobs that birds have to do to maintain a high plumage quality take energy and time, so should be under intense selection. Recently we have shown that secondary moult in the Eurasian Golden Plover Pluvialis apricaria is incomplete, irregular and asymmetric between wings, and argued that this reflected the ‘relaxed’ migratory habits of Eurasian Golden Plovers. On the basis of this hypothesis we predict that relatives of this species that have to make long flights between breeding areas and winter quarters would invest more in the moult of secondaries. To test this we collected data on moult patterns in two populations of Pacific Golden Plovers Pluvialis fulva (Siberia and Alaska), on American Golden Plovers Pluvialis dominica (Alaska) and Grey Plovers Pluvialis squatarola. Data were from the breeding, staging (Mongolia and Indiana) and wintering (Uruguay) areas. Moult patterns were compared in relation to migratory habits. We found patterns consistent with our prediction: Pacific Golden Plovers from Siberia and Grey Plovers have a similar moulting pattern as Eurasian Golden Plovers. Although both go to remote winter quarters, they migrate mainly over land, probably making short or moderate flights as they are able to stage frequently. In contrast, Pacific Golden Plovers from Alaska and American Golden Plovers tend to renew all their secondaries from their second wing moult onwards. In line with their moult patterns, these two populations from Alaska are known to make very long non-stop flights between breeding and winter areas. Also, unlike the other species, the American Golden Plover commonly starts to breed at an age of one year and performs its first wing moult when about half a year old. In the other three species the first wing moult is about one year later. Yet, there are striking similarities in secondary moult between all four species. It always proceeds in an irregular order and the first time it comprises only the inner and outer secondaries. We argue that irregular moult and the partial renewal of secondaries is a primitive character in this group. The full replacement of secondaries in the Pacific Golden Plovers and American Golden Plovers from Alaska may be considered as an adaptation for very long demanding flights. Regular moult patterns of secondaries, as found in many other shorebirds, could be a further refinement of this adaptation.


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