Factors Affecting Post-Breeding Moult in the Savi's Warbler Locustella luscinioides in Northern Poland

[摘要] AmajorityofEurasianshort-distancemigrantsmoultafterbreedingandbeforeautumnmigration,whilemostlong-distancemigrantsperformawintermoultinthetropicsafterautumnmigration.Anotherstrategyamonglong-distancemigrantsisapartialmoultonthebreedinggrounds,suspendedmoultandthencompletionofmoultonthewinteringgrounds.TheSavi'sWarblerLocustellaluscinioidesisasmallpasserineadoptingsucha‘suspendedmoulting’strategy.Here,weinvestigatethesequenceandextentofthepost-breedingmoultinSavi'sWarblersbreedinginandmigratingthroughnorthernPolandinrelationtosex,bodymassanddate.Weanalysed65molecularlysexedadultSavi'sWarblers(32femalesand33males)caughtduringautumnmigrationin2010–2011.AdultSavi'sWarblersfromthestudiedpopulationswerefoundtosuspendmoult.Exchangeofwingfeathersstartedatthethirdprimary(P3)andprogressedinbothdirections.TheonsetofsecondarymoultbeganwithS1andoccurredwhenP6wasshed.Tailmoultoccurredalmostsimultaneouslywiththesecondaries.Wedidnotfindanysignificantdifferencesbetweenthesexesintimeandextentofmoult.Lackofsexdifferencesinthetimeofmoultingsuggestscomparablepost-breedingcondition(fatload,bodymass)offemalesandmales.Incontrasttothepresentstudy,adultscaughtinWesternEuropestartedpost-breedingmoultfromP5,whichmaybeexplainedbydifferentpopulationsmigratingthroughnorthernPolandandWesternEurope.

[学科分类] 动物科学

[关键词] Suspended Moult