Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway
For some populations of Dunlins (Calidris alpina), determining the age of individuals on the nonbreeding grounds can be difficult. This difficulty arises in part because some populations undergo their primary molt during the boreal summer, leaving adult and first-year Dunlins with similar amounts of...
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ftunivqespace:oai:espace.library.uq.edu.au:UQ:405969 2023-05-15T15:48:15+02:00 Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Choi, Chiyeung Hua, Ning Persson, Christer Chiang, Chungyu Ma, Zhijun 2010-03-01 https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:405969 eng eng Wiley-Blackwell Publishing doi:10.1111/j.1557-9263.2009.00246.x issn:0273-8570 issn:1557-9263 orcid:0000-0001-9829-7460 Adult buff coverts Age determination Calidris alpina Dunlin East Asian-Australasian Flyway 1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Journal Article 2010 ftunivqespace https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1557-9263.2009.00246.x 2020-08-05T21:53:32Z For some populations of Dunlins (Calidris alpina), determining the age of individuals on the nonbreeding grounds can be difficult. This difficulty arises in part because some populations undergo their primary molt during the boreal summer, leaving adult and first-year Dunlins with similar amounts of abrasion on their primaries. Ageing Dunlins is further complicated by the presence of adults with buff-fringed, inner median coverts in some populations, a feature often used to age juvenile Dunlins. We examined a number of characteristics helpful in the ageing Dunlins at nonbreeding areas along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including: (1) the pattern of white fringes on the inner primary coverts, (2) the color of fringes on the inner median wing coverts, (3) the color of the tip on the carpal covert, (4) the presence or absence of a dark subterminal band on tertial or tertial coverts, and (5) remnants of alternate or juvenile plumage on the belly. Our results demonstrate that the pattern of white fringes on the inner primary coverts is an important character for ageing Dunlin along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. In addition, we found that all characteristics used for ageing fade with time, and that breeding adults along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway are more difficult to age than adults elsewhere, in part due to the presence of " adult buff" coverts (ABCs) and in part because of the early timing of primary molt. Finally, we suggest that the presence of ABCs might be useful for differentiating the two Dunlin subspecies (C. a. arcticola and C. a. pacifica) occurring in Alaska. ©2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation Article in Journal/Newspaper Calidris alpina Alaska The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace Buff ENVELOPE(-64.567,-64.567,-64.833,-64.833) Journal of Field Ornithology 81 1 99 111 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivqespace |
language |
English |
topic |
Adult buff coverts Age determination Calidris alpina Dunlin East Asian-Australasian Flyway 1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics |
spellingShingle |
Adult buff coverts Age determination Calidris alpina Dunlin East Asian-Australasian Flyway 1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics Choi, Chiyeung Hua, Ning Persson, Christer Chiang, Chungyu Ma, Zhijun Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway |
topic_facet |
Adult buff coverts Age determination Calidris alpina Dunlin East Asian-Australasian Flyway 1105 Ecology Evolution Behavior and Systematics |
description |
For some populations of Dunlins (Calidris alpina), determining the age of individuals on the nonbreeding grounds can be difficult. This difficulty arises in part because some populations undergo their primary molt during the boreal summer, leaving adult and first-year Dunlins with similar amounts of abrasion on their primaries. Ageing Dunlins is further complicated by the presence of adults with buff-fringed, inner median coverts in some populations, a feature often used to age juvenile Dunlins. We examined a number of characteristics helpful in the ageing Dunlins at nonbreeding areas along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, including: (1) the pattern of white fringes on the inner primary coverts, (2) the color of fringes on the inner median wing coverts, (3) the color of the tip on the carpal covert, (4) the presence or absence of a dark subterminal band on tertial or tertial coverts, and (5) remnants of alternate or juvenile plumage on the belly. Our results demonstrate that the pattern of white fringes on the inner primary coverts is an important character for ageing Dunlin along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. In addition, we found that all characteristics used for ageing fade with time, and that breeding adults along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway are more difficult to age than adults elsewhere, in part due to the presence of " adult buff" coverts (ABCs) and in part because of the early timing of primary molt. Finally, we suggest that the presence of ABCs might be useful for differentiating the two Dunlin subspecies (C. a. arcticola and C. a. pacifica) occurring in Alaska. ©2010 The Author(s). Journal compilation |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Choi, Chiyeung Hua, Ning Persson, Christer Chiang, Chungyu Ma, Zhijun |
author_facet |
Choi, Chiyeung Hua, Ning Persson, Christer Chiang, Chungyu Ma, Zhijun |
author_sort |
Choi, Chiyeung |
title |
Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway |
title_short |
Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway |
title_full |
Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway |
title_fullStr |
Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway |
title_full_unstemmed |
Age-related plumage differences of Dunlins along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway |
title_sort |
age-related plumage differences of dunlins along the east asian-australasian flyway |
publisher |
Wiley-Blackwell Publishing |
publishDate |
2010 |
url |
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:405969 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-64.567,-64.567,-64.833,-64.833) |
geographic |
Buff |
geographic_facet |
Buff |
genre |
Calidris alpina Alaska |
genre_facet |
Calidris alpina Alaska |
op_relation |
doi:10.1111/j.1557-9263.2009.00246.x issn:0273-8570 issn:1557-9263 orcid:0000-0001-9829-7460 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1557-9263.2009.00246.x |
container_title |
Journal of Field Ornithology |
container_volume |
81 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
99 |
op_container_end_page |
111 |
_version_ |
1766383245497204736 |