Incubation Behavior of Northern Shovelers in the Subarctic: A Contrast to the Prairies
MacCluskie MC and Sedinger JS. 1999. Incubation Behavior of Northern Shovelers in the Subarctic: A Contrast to the Prairies. The Condor. 101(2):417-421
We examined patterns of nest attendance of Northern Shovelers (Anas clypeata) at Minto Flats, Alaska to explore geographic variation in incubation rhythms between females nesting in Alaska and females nesting in the prairies of North America. Females nesting at Minto Flats exhibited lower incubation constancy than females from the mid-continent. Females nesting at Minto took 4.1 ± 0.1 recesses day^-1, twice as many as other Anas species nesting in the prairies, but length of recesses was not different than prairie nesting conspecifics. Timing of recesses was dissimilar to rhythms reported for Northern Shovelers in the prairies; many recesses were taken at mid-day, fewer recesses were taken in the morning and evening, and females were on nests less when ambient temperature increased. Variation in the number of recesses taken per day was explained by differences among females and day of incubation. Recess length varied both among females and with time of day the recess was taken. Our data suggest that females at Minto have more difficulty obtaining food resources during incubation than females in the prairies. Differences observed in attentiveness among females at Minto are likely related to variation in territory and female quality.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- MacCluskie, Margaret; Sedinger, James
- Units
- CAKN , DENA , WRST , YUCH
- Keywords
- Anas clypeata, Ducks, Incubation, incubation constancy, nest attendance, nest attentiveness, Northern Shoveler, Patterns, Rhythms, Subarctic, temperatures, Waterfowl