Resources related to Moulting Habitat

Moult Chronology And The Timing Of Pairing In Harlequin Ducks

Unlike most other birds, waterfowl pair on their wintering grounds, not the breeding grounds. Across waterfowl species, larger dabbling ducks pair the earliest (starting in November), smaller dabblers and diving ducks pair closer to the spring. Very little is known about the pairing chronology of sea ducks. A small (60 -100 birds) moulting and wintering population of Harlequin ducks was studied from June to November 1995 to assess the moulting and pairing chronology of this population. Males returned from the breeding grounds in June and July, and immediately began the pre-basic moult.

Within-Season Moulting And Wintering Site Philopatry In Harlequin Duck

A small population of moulting and wintering Harlequin ducks were monitored between July 1994 and May 1995 near White Rock, B.C. In all 72 birds were captured during the wing moult and were banded with individually identifiable coloured tarsal bands. Males arrived in mid-June, moulted in August, and were in their alternate plumage by early October. Females arrived in mid-August and moulted in September. There were three patterns of habitat use over the winter season; some individuals spent the entire period (Aug.

Atlantic Flyway Seaduck Study

The Atlantic Seaduck Project is being conducted to learn more about the breeding and molting areas of seaducks in northern Canada and more about the feeding ecology of seaducks on wintering areas, especially Chesapeake Bay. Satellite telemetry is being used to track surf scoters wintering in Chesapeake Bay, Maryland, and black scoters on migrational staging areas in New Brunswick, Canada, to breeding and molting areas in northern Canada.

http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/resshow/perry/scoters/

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