Notes on Longevity and Flightlessness in Bristle-Thighed Curlews

Marks, Jeffrey S.; Redmond, Roland L.; Hendricks, Paul; Clapp, Roger B.; Gill, Robert E.

doi:10.2307/4088012

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Their winter range was virtually free of terrestrial predators before the arrival of humans. Freedom from predation is probably responsible for their unusual moult, during which about 50% of the adults become flightless for approximately two weeks during autumn (Marks et al 1990, Marks 1993. In addition, some individuals exhibit extreme longevity (surviving >23 years), and annual survivorship at the northern edge of the winter range is at least 85% (Marks 1992).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Among shorebirds, moult-induced flightlessness is unique to Bristle-thighed Curlews. Because flightless curlews are known from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres (Marks et al 1990), flightlessness is probably a widespread phenomenon in Bristle-thighed Curlews. On Laysan Island in the northwestern Hawaiian Islands, approximately 50% of the adult curlews become flightless for a brief period (perhaps two weeks) during the prebasic moult in autumn (Marks 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Information on the non-breeding ecology of Bristle-thighed Curlews comes from work conducted in the north-western Hawaiian Islands between 1988 and 1992 (Marks et al 1990, Marks 1993, Marks and Redmond 1994 and from shortterm studies in the Marshall Islands (Johnson 1979) and the Tuamotu Archipelago (Gill and Redmond 1992). Little is known about curlews in other parts of Oceania.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Given the devastating impact that humans have had on the avifauna of oceanic islands (e.g. Holyoak 1973, Moors 1985, Loope et al 1988, Bristle-thighed Curlews are probably highly vulnerable to human-caused perturbations on their wintering grounds (Amadon 1953, Marks et al 1990. Gill and Redmond (1992) called for additional research on the distribution, numbers and ecology of Bristle-thighed Curlews in the Pacific.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Conservation problems and research needs for Bristle-thighed Curlews Numenius tahitiensis on their wintering grounds

Marks

Redmond

1994

Bird Conservation International

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The Bristle-thighed Curlew Numenius tahitiensis is a rare shorebird that breeds in western Alaska and winters on oceanic islands in the tropical and subtropical Pacific Ocean. Before human colonization, the islands on which curlews winter were devoid of terrestrial predators, allowing curlews to evolve a rapid moult during which about 50% of adults become flightless. Especially when flightless, these birds are vulnerable to harvest by humans and to predation by introduced mammals such as dogs and cats. On atolls where they are harvested by humans, curlews tend to occur only on uninhabited islets. Consequently, human encroachment in Oceania has probably reduced Bristle-thighed Curlew numbers and altered winter distribution of the species. Future studies should (1) identify concentrations of wintering curlews, focusing in the Tuamotu Archipelago;(2) determine whether migratory stopover sites exist in the central Pacific between Hawaii and the southern end of the wintering grounds; and (3) establish a monitoring programme to assess population trends in several parts of the winter range. A comprehensive plan is needed to provide for the existence of predator-free islands throughout key portions of the winter range.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Conservation problems and research needs for Bristle-thighed Curlews Numenius tahitiensis on their wintering grounds

Marks

Redmond

1994

Bird Conservation International

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…As there was no moon I made a special effort to catch Bristle-thighed Curlews in the long grass on the southern portion of the island and was quite successful. Twenty-two years and some months later one of these birds was captured on Laysan Island to become the oldest known example of this species (Marks et al 1990). …”

Section: Into the Pacific Ith The Pacific Projectmentioning

confidence: 99%