Ardea
Official journal of the Netherlands Ornithologists' Union

login


[close window] [previous abstract] [next abstract]

Jiguet F. & Ollivier D. (2002) Male phenotypic repeatability in the threatened Little Bustard Tetrax tetrax: A tool to estimate turnover and dispersal. ARDEA 90 (1): 43-50
In this study, a method based on plumage patterns and iris colour is used to identify individual male Little Bustards Tetrax tetrax. High year-to-year repeatability of plumage patterns was proven for 10 colour-ringed males (over 80% of plumage criteria for individual males, with a mean repeatability of 93%). We thereafter assumed that highly consistent drawings made of birds in the same population in two successive years belonged to the same male. Applying this method in a population over three successive years revealed a small annual turnover of displaying males, with low adult male recruitment (17% and 19%), while about half the males (c. 45%) failed to return from one year to the other. Site fidelity for males was 57% and 53% in two successive years, We also found differences in phenotypic profile and biometrics between males of the sedentary population of southern France and males of the migratory populations of western France


[close window] [previous abstract] [next abstract]