Breeding barnacle geese in Kolokolkova Bay, Russia: number of breeding pairs, reproductive success and morphology
2003
Mineev, Oleg. Y. | Litvin, Konstantin Ye. | Eichhorn, Götz | Gurtovaya, Elena | Jeugd, Henk P. van der | Eerden, Mennobart van
We report the results of an expedition to abarnacle-goose (Branta leucopsis) breeding area inKolokolkova Bay, west of the lower Pechora delta innorthern Russia, undertaken in July 2002. In total, 6breeding colonies were found within the study area,harbouring 1,324 nests. Mean clutch size was 2.77±0.10but may have been underestimated because of nestpredation. Nest predation was high and correlated withthe density of breeding gulls, Larus. The 2002 seasonwas relatively cold and peak hatch occurred late, on 14July. More than 11,000 barnacle geese were found tomoult in the area which, together with the large numberof nests found, emphasises the importance of KolokolkovaBay for barnacle geese. Adult barnacle geese(341) were captured, marked and measured during theirannual wing moult. Birds with broods started to moultapproximately 2 weeks later than non- and failedbreeders. Weight loss during moult was 3 times as rapidas reported for barnacle geese breeding in the Baltic, anda large cost of reproduction seemed to exist in the formof reduced body weight at the onset of moult for birdsleading broods. Work in the area will continue over thecoming years to document and explain the differences inmajor life-history parameters, dynamics and environmentaleffects between arctic and temperate breedingbarnacle-goose populations.
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