Timing of breeding and molting in six species of Hawaiian honeycreepers

Author:

Ralph, C. John, Fancy, Steven G.

Title:

Timing of breeding and molting in six species of Hawaiian honeycreepers

Periodical:

Condor

Year:

1994

Volume:

96

Pages:

151-161

Subject:

Breeding Molting Drepanidinae Apapane Himatione sanguinea sanguinea Iiwi Vestiaria coccinea Hawaii Amakihi Hemignathus virens Hawaii Creeper Oreomystis mana Hawaii Akepa Loxops coccineus Akiapolaau Hemignathus munroi Hawaiian honeycreepers

Summary:

In this paper, the timing of breeding and molting in six species of Hawaiian honeycreepers (Fringillidae; subfamily Drepanidinae), with varying food habits on the Island of Hawaii were studied as follows: The Apapane (Himatione sanguinea), Iiwi (Vestiaria coccinea), Common Amakihi (Hemignathus virens), Hawaii Creeper (Oreomystis mana), Akepa (Loxops coccineus), and Akiapolaau (Hemignathus munroi). While all six species of honeycreepers had extended breeding and molting periods with peak breeding between April and July and peak molting in August, the periods for the two nectarivorous species, (the Apapane and the Iiwi), were shorter than those for the other four more insectivorous species. In addition, the availability of nectar was highly seasonal, whereas insect abundance was relatively constant throughout the year. Missing or growing flight feathers in addition to either a brood patch or enlarged cloacal protuberance occurred simultaneously in only 3.2% of 2,786 adult birds examined. It was found that even though an overlap of breeding and molting was rare, some individuals may have been able to allocate energy resources to both activities due to a low clutch size, extended brooding of young, and a low rate of molting.

Label:

Birds - General

URL:

https://sora.unm.edu/node/104830

Date:

1994

Collection:

Periodicals