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Marine moult migration of the freshwater Scaly‐sided Merganser M ergus squamatus revealed by stable isotopes and geolocators
Author(s) -
Solovyeva Diana,
Newton Jason,
Hobson Keith,
Fox James W.,
Afanasyev Vsevolod,
Fox Anthony D.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
ibis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 80
eISSN - 1474-919X
pISSN - 0019-1019
DOI - 10.1111/ibi.12133
Subject(s) - moulting , brackish water , ecology , habitat , biology , feather , zoology , larva , salinity
Scaly‐sided Mergansers M ergus squamatus breed on freshwater rivers in far eastern R ussia, K orea and C hina, wintering in similar habitats in C hina and K orea, but nothing was known of their moulting habitat. To investigate the moult strategies of this species, we combined wing feather stable isotope ratios (males and females) with geolocator data (nesting females) to establish major habitat types (freshwater, brackish or saltwater) used by both sexes during wing moult. Although most Scaly‐sided Mergansers of both sexes probably moult on freshwater, some males and non‐breeding and failed breeding females appeared to undertake moult migration to brackish and marine waters. Given the previous lack of any surveys of coastal or estuarine waters for this species during the moult period, these findings suggest important survey needs for the effective conservation of the species during the flightless moult period.