Definitive Prebasic Molt of Gray Catbirds at Two Sites in New England

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-1-2000

Department

Biological Sciences

School

Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences

Abstract

We studied the pattern and timing of prebasic molt in adult Gray Catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) at two New England sites: Block Island, Rhode Island (BIRI), and the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) in Woodstock, Vermont. Catbirds at VINS initiated molt earlier and molted at a significantly slower rate than catbirds at BIRI. Mean individual molt durations spanned approximately 54 days at VINS and 44 days at BIRI. The two groups ended molt at about the same time. Catbirds at VINS were more variable in the timing of their molt. At both sites, second-year catbirds began and ended molt significantly earlier than after second-year catbirds. Males and females did not differ significantly in their rate or timing of molt at either site. Behavioral observations at BIRI indicated that catbirds spent less time foraging during the heaviest period of molt, but that increased foraging during late molt stages coincided with increases in fat stores, indicating overlap of molt and hyperphagy. We found no evidence that Gray Catbirds at either site departed for migration prior to completing remigial molt. The later molt schedule of BIRI birds likely resulted from the extended breeding season of some individuals. We believe that molt schedules at the two sites were influenced less by latitude per se than by site-specific differences in vegetation, food abundance, and temperature, resulting from differing elevations and conditions of coastal and inland environments.

Publication Title

The Condor

Volume

102

Issue

4

First Page

894

Last Page

904

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