MORPHOLOGICAL VARIATION IN WING-MOULTLNG SOUTH AFRICAN SHELDUCKS

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Abstract
Geldenhuys, J. N. 1983. Morphological variation in wing-moulting South African Shelducks. Ostrich 54:19-25. Male and female South African Shelducks Tadorna cana lose 25,6 and 28,2% of their pre-moult weight during the flightless period. Juveniles (3–5 months old) do not take part in the wing-moult aggregation. Subadults (15–17 months old) cannot be distinguished from older birds in wing-moulting populations on the basis of the bursa of Fabricius, penis structure, colour of the wing feathers, foot colour and the size of the culmen and tarsus. It is suggested that the catabolism of body tissue during wing-moult has little effect on the survival of the species.