Wing lengths and weights of spring Wheatears Oenanthe oenanthe at Bardsey, Gwynedd

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Abstract
An analysis is made of wing lengths and weights of 141 male and 127 female Wheatears caught on Bardsey in the springs of years 1970–1989. Birds were caught mainly at the lighthouse (63%) and in mistnets (28%). Wing lengths ranged 92–116 mm in males and 90–110 mm in females. Mean wing length (in both sexes) was longer in April and May than in March, and graphical separation of normal distributions indicated the presence of two subspecies ‐ 23% nominate oenanthe (males mean wing length 95.8 mm, females 92.9) and 77% leucorhoa (males mean wing length 105.1 mm, females 101.4). Weights ranged 21–46g in males and 19–44g in females. Time of day did not affect greatly the median weights, but medians for May were 8g higher (males) and 5g higher (females) than in March. It is concluded that Bardsey frequently intercepts the passage of Greenland/Iceland Wheatears in spring, though the proportions from these two destinations is not yet known.

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