Ecologic Aspects of Lipid Deposition in Some Postbreeding Arctic Birds

A series of 112 arctic birds representing five species (golden plover, western sandpiper, arctic tern, redpoll, and Lapland Longspur) was taken near Cape Thompson, Alaska, for lipid studies. The birds were collected in 1960 during the postbreeding and autumnal premigratory period of late summer. Rel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecology
Main Author: Johnston, David W.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Wiley 1964
Subjects:
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/1934931
http://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2307%2F1934931
https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.2307%2F1934931
https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.2307/1934931
Description
Summary:A series of 112 arctic birds representing five species (golden plover, western sandpiper, arctic tern, redpoll, and Lapland Longspur) was taken near Cape Thompson, Alaska, for lipid studies. The birds were collected in 1960 during the postbreeding and autumnal premigratory period of late summer. Relevant data on life history, distribution, migration, and molt are presented. Extractions of body lipids revealed that there was no significant increase in lipid deposits in any of the species except a few adult western sandpipers. Possible correlations among lipid levels, timing of migration, and migratory paths are discussed.