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Nesting biology and mating system in an alpine population of Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii
Author(s) -
BREIEHAGEN TORGRIM
Publication year - 1989
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/j.1474-919x.1989.tb02787.x
Subject(s) - biology , calidris , population , mating , avian clutch size , ecology , seasonal breeder , zoology , economic shortage , habitat , fishery , reproduction , demography , linguistics , philosophy , sociology , government (linguistics)
A colour‐marked population of Temminck's Stint Calidris temminckii was studied in an alpine area of southern Norway over 3 years. Birds arrived from late May until late June, and egg‐laying occurred over approximately 1 month. Each year, one to three males out of about 15–17 males still displayed after the last recorded clutch‐completion date. There were six documented cases of double‐clutching. Inter‐clutch intervals varied (range 2–8‐9‐1 days), longer intervals probably being caused by weather‐induced food shortage. A successively bigamous mating pattern was recorded in both sexes. A polygynously (bigamously) mated male invariably incubated its first mate's clutch. Females consistently changed mates between layings of successive clutches, the last one incubated by themselves. An excess of nesting females was found, particularly in parts of the study area where nesting started late. This appears to have been caused mainly by a considerable annual immigration of late‐arriving females, having probably laid their first clutch(es) elsewhere, in nesting habitats that were available earlier. I suggest that male availability is relatively unimportant compared with other factors governing female movements between layings of successive clutches; females may increase their reproductive success, either by achieving a longer egg‐laying season (i.e. by moving from nesting habitats/areas available early in the season to those available later) or by being capable of utilizing favourable feeding habitats/conditions in different areas.