BioOne.org will be down briefly for maintenance on 17 December 2024 between 18:00-22:00 Pacific Time US. We apologize for any inconvenience.
How to translate text using browser tools
27 May 2015 Geographic variation in morphometrics, molt, and migration suggests ongoing subspeciation in Pacific Golden-Plovers ( Pluvialis fulva)
Joop Jukema, Johan G. van Rhijn, Theunis Piersma
Author Affiliations +
Abstract

Breeding Pacific Golden-Plovers (Pluvialis fulva) cover 140 longitudinal degrees of Arctic tundra. Having examined 557 museum skins from across this huge distributional range, we conclude that Pacific Golden-Plovers breeding in Alaska are structurally larger than those breeding in Siberia, especially in wing length. Birds from Alaska also have more pointed wings and almost always postpone the initiation of primary molt until they reach their winter quarters, whereas many Siberian birds start primary molt in the breeding areas. These differences could have been favored by the longer transoceanic flights followed by the Alaskan populations to nonbreeding destinations in the Pacific Islands. We propose that the Alaskan and Siberian breeding birds be distinguished as distinct flyway populations to be used in conservation assessments by the international conservation community.

Joop Jukema, Johan G. van Rhijn, and Theunis Piersma "Geographic variation in morphometrics, molt, and migration suggests ongoing subspeciation in Pacific Golden-Plovers ( Pluvialis fulva)," The Auk 132(3), 647-656, (27 May 2015). https://doi.org/10.1642/AUK-14-303.1
Received: 29 December 2014; Accepted: 1 March 2015; Published: 27 May 2015
KEYWORDS
geographic variation
migration
molt
Pacific Golden-Plover
Pluvialis fulva
subspeciation
wing length
RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS
Get copyright permission
Back to Top