scholarly journals Body mass and acquisition of breeding plumage of wintering Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus) (Aves, Scolopacidae) in the coast of Pernambuco, north-eastern Brazil

2004 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 249-252 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmem E. Fedrizzi ◽  
Severino M. de Azevedo Júnior ◽  
Maria E. Lacerda de Larrazábal

Annually, large flocks of semipalmated sandpiper Calidris pusilla (Linnaeus, 1766) winter along South America coast, between September-April. They store fats in order to moult and return to their breeding grounds. Here, was examined body masses and plumage of adults Semipalmated Sandpipers during the departure month to evaluate the relationship between body mass and plumage. Fieldwork was conducted at Coroa do Avião (7º40'S, 34º50'W), Pernambuco. Birds were trapped in mist-nets between April 1990 and 1997. They were weighed, and aged according to plumage. Adult plumage may be (1) non-breeding, (2) pre-breeding, and (3) breeding. A total of 213 birds were weighed and examined, so that 8.0% (17) presented non-breeding plumage, 54.0% (115) pre-breeding, and 38.0% (81) breeding plumage. As in Semipalmated Sandpiper, 25g is the minimum body mass required to migrate, birds with breeding plumage and most with pre-breeding, were potentially apt to migrate. Non-breeding plumage birds presented smaller body mass. Apparently physiological problems and infestation may be important factors to explain over-summering, i.e., individuals remaining in the wintering grounds during the boreal summer.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Bulla ◽  
Christina Muck ◽  
Daniela Tritscher ◽  
Bart Kempenaers

Biparental care requires coordination between parents. Such coordination might prove difficult if opportunities to communicate are scarce, which might have led to the evolution of elaborate and noisy nest relief rituals in species facing a low risk of predation. However, whether such conspicuous rituals also evolved in species that avoid predation by relying on crypsis remains unclear. Here, we used a continuous monitoring system to describe nest relief behavior during incubation in an Arctic-breeding shorebird with passive nest defense, the semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla). We then explored whether nest relief behavior provides information about parental cooperation and predicts incubation effort. We found that incubating parents vocalized twice as much before the arrival of their partner than during other times of incubation. In 75% of nest reliefs, the incubating parent left the nest only after its partner had returned and initiated the nest relief. In these cases, exchanges were quick (25s, median) and shortened over the incubation period by 0.1 – 1.4s per day (95%CI), suggesting that parents became more synchronized. However, nest reliefs were not cryptic. In 90% of nest reliefs, at least one parent vocalized, and in 20% of nest reliefs, the incubating parent left the nest only after its returning partner called instantaneously. In 30% of cases, the returning parent initiated the nest relief with a call; in 39% of these cases, the incubating partner replied. If the partner replied, the next off-nest bout was 1 – 4hr (95%CI) longer than when the partner did not reply, which corresponds to an 8 – 45% increase. Our results indicate that incubating semipalmated sandpipers, which rely on crypsis to avoid nest predation, have quick but acoustically conspicuous nest reliefs. Our results also suggest that vocalizations during nest reliefs may be important for the division of parental duties.


2012 ◽  
Vol 90 (9) ◽  
pp. 1181-1190 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.T. Quinn ◽  
D.J. Hamilton

Semipalmated Sandpipers ( Calidris pusilla (L., 1766)) use the upper Bay of Fundy, Canada, as a critical stopover site during their annual fall migration to wintering grounds in South America. While in the area, they feed extensively on mudflat invertebrates. Historically the amphipod Corophium volutator (Pallas, 1766) has been thought to make up the majority of their diet. However, we have recently observed flexibility in foraging behaviour and prey selection by sandpipers. The extent of this flexibility and the current diet composition is unknown. To address these knowledge gaps, we assessed Semipalmated Sandpiper diets using stable isotope analyses of blood plasma and available prey items. Data were collected in two arms of the Bay of Fundy during summer 2009 and 2010. Diets fluctuated between years and sites, but in all cases the diet was much more diverse than previously thought. Polychaetes and biofilm made substantial contributions, and C. volutator was still present in the diet, but at much reduced levels than previously noted. This previously unrecognized inclusion of biofilm in the diet is consistent with recent observations of other calidrid shorebirds. Based on measures of prey availability, there is little evidence of preference for C. volutator.


1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 1133-1137 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. L. Gratto ◽  
F. Cooke ◽  
R. I. G. Morrison

Approximately 100 pairs of Semipalmated Sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) nested in a 2-km2 area at La Pérouse Bay, Manitoba, each year from 1980 to 1982. The proportion of nesting yearlings in the population varied from 3 to 10% in different years. Some aspects of the breeding biology of pairs containing at least one yearling were compared with those without yearlings. In 1980, a significantly lower proportion of nests of yearlings were successful (hatched at least one chick) compared with older pairs. In 1981 and 1982 no difference was observed. Nest failure was primarily caused by egg predation. No differences in clutch size or nest distribution were found between the two age groups, but eggs were significantly smaller in nests of yearling females and mean hatch date at yearling nests was later.


2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (11) ◽  
pp. 802-809 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yves Turcotte ◽  
Jean-François Lamarre ◽  
Joël Bêty

The acquisition of body reserves by migrating shorebirds at specific staging sites is critical for reaching their breeding or wintering grounds. As many North American shorebird populations are declining, major staging sites need to be identified for effective conservation plans. Changes in body mass of Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus Bonaparte, 1825) and Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla (L., 1766)) juveniles, as well as length of stay and daily movements by Semipalmated Plover juveniles during fall migration, were studied in the St. Lawrence River Estuary in southern Quebec, Canada. Most juveniles of both species captured early in the migration period weighed less than the estimated mean fat-free mass. Body mass increased steadily in juveniles of both species during staging. Mean body masses of birds captured in our study area were similar to or higher than those of juveniles of both species captured along the North Atlantic coast. Length of stay of radio-tracked Semipalmated Plover juveniles ranged from 2 to 28 days. Body mass at capture and length of stay were negatively associated, suggesting that individuals refuelled before resuming their migration. Overall, these results provide evidence that the St. Lawrence River Estuary is an important staging site for Semipalmated Plover and Semipalmated Sandpiper juveniles.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
David D. Hope ◽  
David B. Lank ◽  
Paul A. Smith ◽  
Julie Paquet ◽  
Ronald C. Ydenberg

ABSTRACTPeregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) have undergone a steady hemisphere-wide recovery since the ban on DDT in 1973, resulting in an ongoing increase in the level of danger posed for migrant birds, such as Arctic-breeding sandpipers. We anticipate that in response migrant semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) have adjusted migratory behaviour, including a shift in stopover site usage towards locations offering greater safety from falcon predation.We assessed semipalmated sandpiper stopover usage within the Atlantic Canada Shorebird Survey dataset. Based on 3,030 surveys (totalling ∼32M birds) made during southward migration, 1974 - 2017, at 198 stopover locations, we assessed the spatial distribution of site usage in each year (with a ‘priority matching distribution’ index, PMD) in relation to the size (intertidal area) and safety (proportion of a site’s intertidal area further than 150m of the shoreline) of each location. The PMD index value is > 1 when usage is concentrated at dangerous locations, 1.0 when usage matches location size, and < 1 when usage is concentrated at safer locations.A large majority of migrants were found at the safest sites in all years, however our analysis of the PMD demonstrated that the fraction using safer sites increased over time. In 1974, 80% of birds were found at the safest 20% of the sites, while in 2017, this had increased to 97%. A sensitivity analysis shows that the shift was made specifically towards safer (and not just larger) sites. The shift as measured by a PMD index decline cannot be accounted for by possible biases inherent in the data set. We conclude that the data support the prediction that increasing predator danger has induced a shift by southbound migrant semipalmated sandpipers to safer sites.


1970 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-13
Author(s):  
S Jahan ◽  
TR Das ◽  
KB Biswas

Background and Aims: Cord blood leptin may reflect the leptinemic status of a newborn at birth more accurately than the leptin values of blood collected from other sites. The present study was undertaken to determine the relationship of cord serum leptin concentration at birth with neonatal and maternal anthropometric parameters. Materials and Methods: Blood was taken from the umbilical cord of the babies at delivery. Maternal anthropometric measurements were recorded at admission for delivery. Neonatal anthropometric measurements were recorded within 48 hours after delivery. Linear regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between cord serum leptin concentration and anthropometric parameters of the baby and the mother. Both Serum leptin and serum C-peptide levels were measured by chemiluminescence-based ELISA method. Results: The leptin concentration (ng/ml, mean±SD) in cord blood was 39.13±14.44. Cord leptin levels correlated with birth weight (r=0.673, p<0.0001), ponderal index (r=0.732, p<0.0001) but it did not correlate with maternal body mass index, gestational age (r=0.135, p=0.349) at delivery or cord serum C-peptide concentration (r=-0.049, p=0.735) or placental weight (r=0.203, p=0.157). Conclusion: There are associations between cord leptin concentration at delivery and birth weight, ponderal index (PI) of the babies but not body mass index (BMI) of the mothers. High leptin levels of the baby could represent an important feedback modulator of substrate supply and subsequently for adipose tissue status during late gestation. (J Bangladesh Coll Phys Surg 2007; 25 : 9-13)


Think India ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 186-192
Author(s):  
Dr. Oinam Ranjit Singh ◽  
Dr. Nushar Bargayary

The Bodo of the North Eastern region of India have their own kinship system to maintain social relationship since ancient periods. Kinship is the expression of social relationship. Kinship may be defined as connection or relationships between persons based on marriage or blood. In each and every society of the world, social relationship is considered to be the more important than the biological bond. The relationship is not socially recognized, it fall outside the realm of kinship. Since kinship is considered as universal, it plays a vital role in the socialization of individuals and the maintenance of social cohesion of the group. Thus, kinship is considered to be the study of the sum total of these relations. The kinship of the Bodo is bilateral. The kin related through the father is known as Bahagi in Bodo whereas the kin to the mother is called Kurma. The nature of social relationships, the kinship terms, kinship behaviours and prescriptive and proscriptive rules are the important themes of the present study.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Hicklin ◽  
Cheri L. Gratto-Trevor

Author(s):  
Ana P. Sehn ◽  
Anelise R. Gaya ◽  
Caroline Brand ◽  
Arieli F. Dias ◽  
Roya Kelishadi ◽  
...  

AbstractObjectivesThe combination of sleep duration, television (TV) time and body mass index (BMI) may be related to the alteration of cardiometabolic risk. However, there are few studies that use these variables grouped, and showing the moderating role of age. This study aimed to verify if the combination of sleep duration, TV time and BMI is associated with cardiometabolic risk and the moderating role of age in this relationship in youth.MethodsCross-sectional study conducted with 1411 adolescents (611 male), aged 10–17 years. Sleep duration, TV time and BMI were assessed and grouped into eight categories. Cardiometabolic risk was assessed by a continuous metabolic risk score, including the following variables: low HDL-cholesterol, elevated triglycerides, dysglycemia, high systolic blood pressure, high waist circumference and low cardiorespiratory fitness. Generalized linear models were used to test moderation of age in the relationship between the eight categories of sleep duration/television time/BMI with cardiometabolic risk.ResultsCardiometabolic risk factor showed association with all overweight or obesity independent of sleep time and TV time. Age moderated the relationship between sleep duration/television time/BMI with cardiometabolic risk. This association was stronger in younger adolescents (11 and 13 years), indicating that individuals with inadequate sleep, prolonged TV time and overweight/obesity present higher cardiometabolic risk values when compared to 15-year-old adolescents.ConclusionOverweight/obesity, independently of sleep duration and TV time, is the main risk factor for cardiometabolic disorders in adolescence. When moderated by age, younger adolescents that presented the combination of risk factors had higher cardiometabolic risk.


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