Breeding biology of the Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) on the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorCooper, John M. (John Morton)en_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-13T18:11:51Z
dc.date.available2024-08-13T18:11:51Z
dc.date.copyright1993en_US
dc.date.issued1993
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Biology
dc.degree.levelMaster of Science M.Sc.en
dc.description.abstractThe breeding biology of the Least Sandpiper was studied on the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbia, in a newly discovered, and relatively dense, population. Climatic conditions were milder, and the breeding season longer, than in other parts of the species' range. The purposes of the study were: (a) to obtain longterm data on breeding, which were lacking for this species, and (b) to investigate whether the species' conservative breeding strategy differed on the Queen Charlotte Islands because of the high breeding density and the mild climate. Many nests were found and many breeding adults and chicks were banded over the years 1984-88. Data were obtained on: timing of egg laying, hatching, and fledging; return rates of yearlings and older birds; adult measurements; egg measurements; philopatry and site fidelity; mate fidelity; chick growth; and rates and causes of depredation on nests. Relative size of mates was not related to nesting date. Older and more experienced birds nested earlier than yearlings or experienced but divorced pairs. Older females hatched more eggs than yearlings, but both fledged similar numbers of chicks per egg hatched. Mean egg volume was positively related to female body weight, and older females laid larger eggs because they were heavier than yearling females. Mean egg volume for the same females was highly constant in successive years. Mean egg volume was not related to hatching success, fledging success, or return rates of yearlings. Length of parental care of broods was inversely related to date for both sexes. Very late-nesting females abandoned clutches before eggs hatched, with some males successfully incubating the last few days alone and then tending the brood alone. Most of these males abandoned their brood before fledging but, even so, many chicks fledged. When both members of a pair were alive, mate fidelity was almost 100% for the population. The age at first breeding for new breeders was one year. Yearlings constituted about 20% of the breeding population. Predation caused significant nest mortality early each season. Replacement clutches usually were laid if a first clutch was lost before mid June. Replacement clutches and first clutches fledged young at similar rates. The long nesting season allowed more opportunity for laying of replacement clutches and fledging of chicks late in the season.en
dc.format.extent145 pages
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1828/17515
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.titleBreeding biology of the Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) on the Queen Charlotte Islands, British Columbiaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

Files

Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
COOPER_John_Morton_MSC_1993_634877.pdf
Size:
32.59 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download

Collections

Electronic Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
 
University of Victoria Libraries

We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day.