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Volume 10 : < Previous article   Next article >

Title:
TIMING OF MOLT IN FLORIDA SANDHILL CRANES


Date: 2008


Authors:
STEPHEN A. NESBITT, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
STEPHEN T. SCHWIKERT, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission

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Citation:
Nesbitt, S. A., and S. T. Schwikert. 2008. Timing of molt in Florida sandhill cranes. Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop 10:125-127.

Abstract:
We observed feather molt in Florida sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) between 1978 and 1997. We report data from 4 feather groups: remiges, rectrices, wing coverts and contour feathers. In all feather groups, the median date of ecdysis preceded endysis by about 30 days. Endysis in adults was generally later than it was in first- or second-year subadults. Remiges grew at a rate of 4.72 ± 1.56 SD mm per day. We estimated that primary and secondary wing feathers were usually regenerated within 45 to 70 days.

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© 2008 North American Crane Working Group