Moult of the Curlew Sandpiper in Relation to its Annual Cycle

Sex differences in the stopover ecology of Curlew SandpipersCalidris ferrugineaat a refuelling area during autumn migration

“…Some studies have reported that male Curlew Sandpipers start to moult before females, 26,37,38 although others failed to find any difference. 39,40 More males starting primary moult in our study area could have increased the estimated stopover length of this sex. However, the number of birds that started wing moult in the study area was small (6.2% of the adult birds ringed in autumns 1992 and 1993), and although more males started to moult in the study area in 1993, no difference in the number of males and females moulting in the area was detected in 1992.…”

Moult of the Curlew Sandpiper at Barberspan

“…Table 3 shows the number of growing primaries and secondaries in relation to the primary moult stage. Primaries, secondaries, tail and body moults do not differ from the pattern given by Thomas & Dartnall(1971).…”

“…that of the Little Stint Culidris minirta which arrives here mainly in winter plumage (Dean in prep',). As Thomas & Dartnall (1971) have stated, Curlew Sandpipers show some body moult throughout the primary moult period. Table 4 shows the mean monthly weights of Curlew Sandpipers at Barberspan.…”

The primary moult of Curlew Sandpiper in the Ebro Delta, North‐East Spain

“…Pienkowskiefa/. 1976, Wilson et al 1980 andBarter 1986 found sex related differences in the timing of primary moult, but Elliot et al 1976 andThomas &Dartnall 1971 failed to find any difference. However, the annual variation in the proportions of each sex in the moulting sample in the Ebro Delta suggests that this process has a great variation from year to year, and this could be the reason for the different results obtained by these authors.…”

“…However, some turnover of individuals in primary moult may have been occurred and consequently affected the accuracy of the estimates of moult duration at refueling areas. Nevertheless, moult was quicker than in the wintering areas, where the moult duration has been estimated to be 130-140 days (Thomas & Dartnall 1971, Elliot etal. 1976.…”