Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, México — John Shaqi
Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, MéxicoJohnston, Richard F.
Science
Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, México
Johnston, Richard F.
Vertebrates -- Mexico
We saw many pairs of adults and a large number of well-grown juveniles,
and, at a point 4 miles south of Washington Beach, we collected a brood
of three small juveniles that had only recently hatched. The breeding
season apparently was drawing to a close, for several adults in our
collection were in postnuptial molt and showed marked gonadal
regression. From July 6 to 9, a few small groups of birds were noted,
but large groups were not seen until July 10, when several flocks of up
to 60 individuals were found along the coast 3 to 7 miles south of
Washington Beach.
Specimens (12): [M], 38904, testis 4.5 × 2 mm., 58 gm., 3 P old, brood
patches refeathering; [M], 38905, testis 5 × 2 mm., 59 gm., 4 P old,
brood patches refeathering; [M] juv., 38903, 6.2 gm.; 2 sex?, 38901,
38902, 5.7 and 6.2 gm., 4 miles south of Washington Beach, July 6.
Male, 38907, testis 5 × 2 mm., 56 gm., 7 P old, brood patches
refeathering; [F], 38906, ova to 1 mm., 61 gm., 3 P old, brood patches
refeathering; [F] juv., 38908, ovary inactive, 54 gm., in body molt;
Camp 1, July 6. Male, 38910, testis 6 × 3 mm., 60 gm., 4 P old; [F],
38909, ova to 1 mm., 57 gm., 4 P old, brood patches refeathering; Camp
1, July 8. Male, 38911, testis 2 × 1 mm., 55 gm.; juv., 38912, no
weight or sex recorded; Camp 2, July 9.
=_Numenius americanus parvus_= Bishop: Long-billed Curlew.--Lone
individuals and groups of two to five were noted occasionally along the
beach each day. In total, some 30 to 50 birds were counted, but some
individuals may have been recorded more than once on different days.
Specimens (2): [M], 38918, testis 4 mm., some fat, 459 gm., Camp 2,
July 9; [F], 38933, ova to 1 mm., no weight recorded, Camp 2, July 8.
Our assumption that some or all individuals seen by us were
nonbreeding, summering birds is supported by the fact that our
specimens are referable to the small, northwestern subspecies, _N. a.
parvus_, rather than to _N. a. americanus_; the latter breeds south in
the eastern United States to south-central Texas (A.O.U. Check-list,
1957:181). Loetscher (1955:27) saw a flock of 39 curlews near Tamós on
June 30, and he notes that nonbreeding birds are fairly common at all
seasons in Veracruz. Similarly, the species is present throughout the
year on the central Gulf coast of Texas (Hagar and Packard, 1952:8).
Authors of the Mexican Check-list (1950:94) do not mention the
possibility that birds of this species recorded in México in July are
summering rather than migrating. Twelve supposed migrants seen along
Laguna Chila (Cacalilao), Veracruz, by Coffey (1960:291) on May 31,
1957, may have been summering birds.
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