Postjuvenile Moult in Two Northern Scandinavian Starling Sturnus vulgaris Populations: Evidence for Difference in the Circannual Time-Program

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The postjuvenile molt pattern of captive individuals from 2 Scandinavian starling populations was studied. The birds were hand-raised and kept under constant environmental conditions which made it possible to investigate possible endogenous differences in the circannual time program of the molt. Birds from Umea went through a complete molt significantly faster than did birds from Andoya. This was particularly pronounced when considering the remiges. Birds from Andoya also showed a greater temporal segregation of the molt of different parts of the plumage. The results show that there is a difference in the endogenous circannual rhythm of molt between birds from the 2 populations. This is in good agreement with the different natural annual cycles birds from these 2 populations show, i.e., birds from Andoya are non-migratory and lay 2 clutches/yr; birds from Umea are completely migratory and lay only 1 clutch/year.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: