American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Science Article 4 abstract To determine whether Pacific Golden-Plovers Pluvialis fulva and Black-bellied Plovers P. squatarola werenesting on the Alaska Peninsula, we conducted field surveys at several sites in 2004. We found both taxa breedingon the peninsula, with fulva in greater abundance. Our findings indicate that fulva nest from at […]
Category: Charadriiformes
Taxonomy, distribution, and evolution of golden plovers (pluvialis dominica and pluvialis fulva)
American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Science Article 5 abstract A discriminant function analysis of specimen measurements separates 96% of two forms of Lesser Golden Plover in breeding plumage, previously described as subspecies. The forms breed sympatrically in northwest Alaska and are not isolated by habitat, but the incidence of specimens phenotypically intermediate between the two […]
Morphometric features of Pacific and American Golden-Plovers withcomments on field identification.
American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Science Article 2 abstract We measured linear dimensions and evaluated identification criteria in Pacific and American Golden-Plovers(Pluvialis fulva and P. dominica) captured for banding. Most of the fulva sampled were wintering birds inHawaii, representative of the mid-Pacific flyway; additional fulva and all dominica were from breeding groundson the Seward Peninsula, […]
Featured Photo: Identification of Adult Pacific and American Golden Plovers in their Southbound Migration
American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Science Article 6 abstract Connors (1983) and Connors et al. (1993) confirmed that American (Pluvialis dominica) and Pacific (P. fulva) Golden-Plovers breeding in sympatry in Alaska are distinct species, a conclusion adopted by the A.O.U. (1993). Distinguishing these two species requires that the bird’s age or plumage class be determined […]
Male-Biased Breeding Ground Fidelity and Longevity in American Golden-Plovers
American Golden Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Science Article 7 abstract The American Golden-Plover (PZuvialis dominicus) and its close relative the Pacific Golden-Plover (P. jiilva) are seasonally monogamous with both parents sharing in defense of the breeding territory, incubation, and care of the young (for a detailed treatment of breeding
Courtship feeding between Yellow-legged Gull Larus cachinnans and Herring Gull L. argentatus in the Western Mediterranean
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnans) Science Article 1 abstract Several species of large white-headed gulls, genus Larus, often hybridize freely where they occur sympatrically (Ingolfsson 1987, Pierotti 1987, Spear 1987, Pierotti & Annett 1993). In the Ebro Delta (Ebro Delta National Park, 40
Predation by a Marsh Harrier Circusaeruginosus on Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis nests
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnans) Science Article 3 abstract This note reports a case of predation by an adult female Marsh Harrier Circus aeruginosus onthree nests of Yellow-legged Gulls Larus michahellis at the Ebro Delta. The predation wasobserved on 4 April 2002 on one of the dykes that separate the saltpan-heaters of La Trinitat(Punta de la […]
Deconstructing myths on large gulls and their impact onthreatened sympatric waterbirds
Yellow-legged Gull (Larus cachinnans) Science Article 2 abstract Owing to increasing population trends and facultative predatory habits, large gullshave been identified as significant agents of change in the alteration of manyecological communities. Often, they are perceived as negatively impacting thepopulation trends of most sympatric waterbirds. Consequently, culling programshave been implemented to remove adults, chicks and […]
NESTING BIOLOGY OF BLACK SKIMMERS, LARGE-BILLED TERNS, AND YELLOW-BILLED TERNS IN AMAZONIAN BRAZIL
Yellow-billed Tern (Sterna superciliaris) Science Article 1 abstract Nests of Black Skimmers (Rynchops niger) (n = 37), Large-billed Terns (Phaetusa simplex) (n = 121), and Yellow-billed Terns (Sterna superciliaris) (n = 16) on an exposed sandbar in the Trombetas River, Brazil, were monitored during incubation and hatching in 1982. The species were interspersed throughout the […]
Different migration strategies used by two inland wader species during autumn migration, case of Wood Sandpiper Tringa glareola and Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago
Wood Sandpiper (Tringa glareola) Science Article 2 abstract Waders generally follow two alternative strategies.The ‘B-strategy’ or ‘energy minimization’ strategy is to initiate migration late in the season, start moulting at the breeding grounds and migrate slowly in small steps, whereas the ‘S-strategy’ or ‘time minimization’istomigrateimmediatelyaftertheendofthebreedingperiodandmoulton the wintering grounds after a migration with only a few […]