Ringed plover
| Ringed plover | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Black ringed plover ( Charadrius morinellus ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Charadrius morinellus | ||||||||||||
| Linnaeus , 1758 |
The Mornellregenpfeifer ( Charadrius morinellus , syn .: Eudromias morinellus ), usually called Mornell, is a representative of the common plover (Charadriinae). The main breeding areas of the species are in the tundras of Eurasia at and north of the Arctic Circle . In south-western and southern Europe as well as in the Alps, there are low-individual relic occurrences. There are no known subspecies of the Mornell ringed plover. The generic name Eudromias is also often used in scientific literature .
Appearance
The Mornell is a little smaller than a blackbird , but looks much larger due to its rather long, yellow legs. It belongs to the medium-sized plover, significantly larger than the little ringed plover ( Charadrius dubius ), but smaller than the well-known lapwing ( Vanellus vanellus ).
The species is unmistakable in the breeding dress, but sex determination is not very easy. The most important field characteristic in the colorful, splendid dress is the wide white stripe over the eyes that extends down to the neck. These over-eye stripes converge on the back of the head and form a V. The parting is black, the throat white. Another striking feature is a white, thin, dark-edged chest band that separates the slate-gray neck and neck from the bright rust-red, blackish belly. The back and wings are brown with clearly lighter edging of the individual feathers. The lower tail, which is round in flight, is white. The female is colored a little more intensely and with more contrast. In the plain dress all colors fade, especially those of the belly, which is then yellowish to white in color. The chest ring is also no longer clearly recognizable, so that there is a considerable risk of confusion with golden plover species such as the American golden plover ( Pluvialis dominica ) and the wormwood plover ( Charadrius asiaticus ). The plumage of young birds is very similar to the plain dress of adult birds.
Flight and flight image
In flight the species looks relatively bright from the underside; the typical plover-like, angled and pointed wings have no noticeable drawings. Seen from above, the very fast and agile flying bird appears uniformly brownish, without any noticeable light wing stripes.
measurements and weight
The total length from the tip of the beak to the tip of the tail is on average 21 centimeters. There are no differences in size between the sexes. A wing measures around 15 centimeters, the wingspan is around 60 centimeters. The tail is just under 7 centimeters, the beak is a little over 1.5 centimeters long. Adult males weigh around 100 grams, females are slightly heavier at 120 grams. Chicks weigh less than 2 at three days, but already around 70 grams at 14 days.
voice
The Mornell Ringed Plover shows a wide range of different vocalizations. Almost all of them appear soft and subdued despite their wide range. Most often a fluting, stringed Düii (rr) or püii can be heard, with the last syllable clearly highlighted. This chant is performed by both sexes in a slow, owl-like singing flight. In addition, the likewise lined up, quickly fading departure call, which sounds like dirr or purr , can be heard relatively frequently. The Mornell Plover often combines different elements of his vocal repertoire.
distribution
The distribution area of the Mornell is disjointed into some widely separated subareas. The species breeds in Scotland , in the Scandinavian fells and tundra areas, on the Kola peninsula and in the southern part of Novaya Zemlya . It occurs very rarely in the northern part of the Ural Mountains . A large, closed distribution area is in the Altai Mountains and its eastern foothills; it extends to the south and northeast of Lake Baikal . Between the mouth of the Ob and that of the Lena , the Mornell Ringed Plover appears to be very rare or to be absent entirely. In any case, the distribution information for this area is inconsistent and in some cases contradictory. Only east of the Lena estuary do large, closed deposits begin again, extending eastward into the Anadyr region and south-eastward in a broad finger into the Verkhoyansk Mountains and as far as the central reaches of the Kolyma . Again isolated from these occurrences, the Mornell breeds on the Chukchi Peninsula and probably on some of the offshore New Siberian islands as well as on the Taimyr Peninsula . Also from Point Barrow and the small Plover islands (plover islands ) on the northern tip of Alaska have been reported and are breeding occurrences.
Relic occurrences in Europe
The ringed plover no longer breeds regularly and also in extremely small numbers in some mountain regions of Europe. Geographically completely isolated broods occurred in polder areas of the Netherlands (in areas that were used intensively for agriculture!) From 1961 to 1969.
In Austria there are breeding occurrences on the Zirbitzkogel in Styria and irregularly in some montane areas of Carinthia . The occurrence in Abruzzo (Parco Nazionale della Majella ) also continues, albeit in very small numbers. It is not known whether the ringed plover occasionally breeds in the Vosges , in the High Tatras and in the Giant Mountains . However, breeding season and migratory observations are reported from these areas. It is also unclear whether the species still occurs as a breeding bird in the Pyrenees , the Southern Carpathians and in some parts of northern Greece, and how large the number of breeding pairs there is.
habitat
The ringed plover is an inhabitant of mostly dry, slightly raised areas of the lichen tundra on and north of the Arctic Circle. In the Scandinavian fells it breeds above the birch zone. It prefers dry, largely flat, manageable areas with only sparse, low vegetation. Areas with occasional vegetation-free and stone-interspersed sections are particularly valued. The comparatively rarity of these habitat structures in the tundra areas of Eurasia partly explains the very fragmented distribution of this plover. In the Arctic Circle, the species breeds near sea level, in Inner Asia up to altitudes of over 3500 meters. The highest European breeding sites were or are in the Bündner Alps in Graubünden at around 2600 meters and on the Zirbitzkogel in Styria at around 2200 meters. In Central Europe, the Mornell prefers mountains with gentle ridges and expansive plateaus that are sparsely overgrown with crooked sedge ( Caricetum curvulae ) and their accompanying plants. In the Abruzzo region , almost vegetation-free limestone rock plains with only a few vegetation islands formed its breeding habitat.
Completely different from these habitat structures, the Mornell Ringed Plover brooded on new polders in the IJsselmeer between 1961 and 1969 in areas that were used for agriculture. However, only relatively freshly drained areas were populated.
food
Mornell's diet consists mostly, but not exclusively, of insects. He takes in animals from mosquito size to the size of crickets and large bumblebees . There appears to be a certain preference for hard-armored beetle species such as ground beetles and weevils . The larvae of click beetles , the so-called wireworms , are also eaten with pleasure. Grasshoppers, butterflies or worms, on the other hand, do not play an essential role. In some wintering areas, ringed plovers appear to feed mainly on various small species of snail. Mornell eats plant-based food in the form of leaves and berries in small amounts, but regularly. Small stones ( gastroliths ) were mostly found in the stomachs of examined birds .
The food is preyed on the ground by pecking, continuously in small chases or in short flight hunts.
behavior
The Mornell is not a very shy bird. In its subarctic habitat, its flight distance from humans is noticeably short - especially during the breeding season. During the breeding season, a Mornell couple is strictly territorial, but outside of this time the birds live socially in small groups, often differentiated into age groups or sexes. In the main distribution area in the area of the Arctic Circle, the Mornell is active for 24 hours, but takes long breaks for cleaning and rest during this time. In its alpine breeding areas, the bird's activity phase only begins about two hours after sunrise and ends an hour before the sun goes down.
Particularly noticeable are the particularly intense jerking movements of the upper body, especially when there is alarm , the rapid flight, which leads down over the ground, as well as the guard standing with conspicuous looking away on small elevations in the breeding area.
Basically, there is a certain role reversal in some behaviors in the Mornell, especially in the areas of sexual and aggression , that is, behaviors that are generally expected of the male are more commonly practiced by the female.
Pair formation
The role reversal mentioned above is particularly clear in the courtship behavior of this species and in their breeding biology. Often such a behavioral orientation, called reverse sex role in English, is already indicated in the color of the plumage. The ringed plover generally does not brood until its third summer, but broods in the second summer have also become known.
The pair formation results from an initially not partner-related group courtship, within which the female is the more active part. The courtship only begins in the breeding area, but populations breeding in the North of the North appear loosely paired in the breeding area. The female tries to attract the attention of a male by fleeing, crouching or breeding. If there is no reaction from a male, the female returns to the courtship group. Small arguments about a male can occur between the females. The courtship groups, which usually consist of less than 10 individuals, often change their location; The group members are also variable. If a pair is found, it separates itself from the group and begins to occupy a territory that is vigorously defended by both birds. This relationship often lasts until the chicks hatch. However, the females can also supply other males with full-length eggs during the incubation of the first clutch. (Successive polyandry ). In isolated small occurrences, there can sometimes be a noticeable excess of females ready to breed, so that unfertilized eggs are laid as well as female pairs that sit on unfertilized eggs.
Breeding biology
The nest location is usually a slightly raised, dry and level place. Clear all-round visibility and short-grass vegetation have priority. The nest itself is only an indicated hollow; it is covered a little with plant material from the immediate vicinity. In alpine nests, white tube lichen ( Thamniola vermicularis ) was used as nesting material.
A full clutch usually consists of three, with an average of 42 × 28 millimeters, relatively large, clay-brown to olive-green eggs with dark brown to black spots. The clutches rarely contain more than two eggs. The eggs laid within about 36 hours are only incubated intensively by the male after the last egg has been laid. However, the female is often near the nest, has voice contact with the male and participates in the defense against enemies. The participation of the females in the breeding business is very different, at the beginning and towards the end of the breeding season it is strongest, but it can also be completely omitted. The chicks are led away from the nest by the male very soon after hatching, which is often very tedious for the last hatched and leads to losses. The maximum action radius after the day of hatching is around 50 meters, but on the third day the family group can be more than 700 meters and a few 100 meters in altitude from the nest location. From this time on, the male also drives the female away from the chicks. Observations indicate, however, that leading males tolerate non-leading members of their sexes in the vicinity of the boys, and that these also participate in the defense against the enemy. The tour takes about 30 days. Then the bandage dissolves.
Aggression and enemy behavior
The females of this species are also more dominant in their aggressive behavior. They impress more often with tail fans , spreading wings and presenting the distinctive plumage on the chest and belly side. Body contact and minor injuries can occur in rival fights.
Seduce
Mornell's seductive behavior is particularly pronounced . Depending on the individually perceived quality of the threat, the species shows very different and expressive behaviors. Looking away is interpreted as the slightest misleading answer . The bird turns away from the recognized intruder, thereby showing the distinctive V of the vertex, but still fixates the potential enemy. The next level is marked by noticeable running away , with limping and lurching steps often following rapid running, dragging one or both wings on the ground half-fanned. This running away is accompanied by plaintive shouts. If the Mornell is still unable to distract the intruder from its nest or the chicks being led, it presents itself as dying with convulsive tremors of wings, legs and tail . Both sexes show this temptation, but it is more expressive in males.
hikes
The Mornell is an obligatory migratory bird in its entire range, with a relatively small wintering area in northern Africa and in the Middle East in relation to its huge range . The breeding grounds are cleared from the end of July, with the females leaving about three weeks before the males and young birds. The migration takes place on traditional migration routes in a broad front, mostly in small troops or groups of 20–30 individuals. Traditional resting and moulting areas (for example on the Cassonsgrat in the Graubünden Alps , the Chasseral in the Bernese Jura , or in some places north of the Caspian Sea ) have been sought out over the decades. However, many of the European birds seem to reach their winter quarters in a non-stop flight. The East Asian birds cover a distance of up to 10,000 kilometers on their migration. Overall, however, both departure and - to an even greater extent - return home are very clandestine, so that Mornells are more likely to be mistaken for wanderers than regular migratory birds on their journey.
The main wintering areas for the majority of European birds are in northwestern Africa, particularly in the Atlas region . The Asian populations seek quarters on the Sinai Peninsula , as well as in Iraq and Iran . Mostly these are semi-arid , open areas, deserts are avoided.
The homecoming begins in mid-February. In mid-March all Mornells left their wintering area. The arrival in the breeding areas takes place from the end of April.
Stock situation
Although significant population declines have been noted in the Scottish and Finnish ranges, the overall population of the species is still rated S ( secure ). The large Northeast Siberian and Central Asian deposits, about whose dynamics too little is known, are not evaluated in this assessment.
The European relic occurrences, which are extremely poor in individuals, are subject to very large fluctuations. In 1971 and 1995 five clutches could be counted in the Zirbitzkogel area, from 2001 to 2004 no clutches were found. In 2004, however, four migrants were observed again.
Name derivation
Charadrius is a name Aristotle uses in his zoological studies . Birds without webbed feet are summarized under this name. The second common generic name, Eudromias, outlines the nimble, agile movements of Mornell on land. It is composed of the Greek eū = good and ho drómos = the runner . The species name describes the little shy behavior of Mornell, which was perceived as foolish or foolish. The Latin noun morinellus means little fool . An earlier German name was Dummer Regenpfeifer . The English name Dotterel also describes this behavior, which is considered unwise. The core meaning of Dotterel is in the English dote , which can mean being childish , not being very clear .
My friend the plover
The Swedish nature photographer and writer Bengt Berg dedicated the book My Friend, the Plover (1925) to the Mornell Ringed Plover , in which he describes his experiences in the Swedish fells . In doing so, Berg systematically humanized the behavior of the Láhol (name of the Mornell Ringed Plover in the Sami language ) in order to encourage the reader to identify with the animal. In the German-speaking world, the book contributed significantly to the popularization of a romantic idea of natural history and nature conservation.
literature
- Helwig Brunner: The Mornell Ringed Plover (Eudromias morinellus) in the Alpine region . Dipl.-Arb. Univ. Graz, Graz 1992.
- Bettina Mirtner-Lausecker: Choosing a nesting site for the Mornell Ringed Plover (Eudromias morinellus L. ) in the Wölzer Tauern. Dipl. Arb. Univ. Graz, Graz 2005
- Handbook of the birds of Central Europe . Vol. 6. AULA, Wiesbaden 1999, pp. 281-313. ISBN 3-89104-635-9
- Hans Günther Bauer, Peter Berthold : The breeding birds of Central Europe. Existence and endangerment . AULA, Wiesbaden 1997, pp. 175, 538, 674, 682, 690, 699. ISBN 3-89104-613-8
- Mark Beaman, Steve Magde: Handbook of Bird Identification . Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998, pp. 307, 360. ISBN 3-89104-613-8
- Ulrich Brendel: Birds of the Alps . Ulmer, Stuttgart 1998, p. 50f. ISBN 3-8001-3502-7
- Viktor Wember: The names of the birds of Europe . Aula, Wiesbaden 2005. ISBN 3-89104-678-2
Remarks
- The population figures for distribution on the Zirbitzkogel were kindly provided by Peter Sackl, Joanneum Graz.
- The photos were taken by Helwig Brunner as part of his diploma thesis. Thankfully, Peter Sackl also made it available to Wikipedia.
Web links
- Voice example flight singing ( WAV ; 65 kB)
- Birdlife international 2005 factsheet (PDF file; 275 kB)
- ecoinf.uran.ru: Very good pictures of the most important dresses ( Memento of 17 December 2004 at the Internet Archive )
- Videos, photos and sound recordings of Charadrius morinellus in the Internet Bird Collection
- Age and gender characteristics of Spanish migrants (PDF; 3.1 MB) by J. Blasco-Zumeta and G.-M. Heinze (Eng.)
- Eudromias morinellus onthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Listed by: BirdLife International, 2012. Retrieved November 23, 2013.
- Video: Eudromias morinellus (Charadriidae) - Entice II . Institute for Scientific Film (IWF) 1959, made available by the Technical Information Library (TIB), doi : 10.3203 / IWF / E-254 .
- Video: Eudromias morinellus (Charadriidae) - egg rolling movements . Institute for Scientific Film (IWF) 1959, made available by the Technical Information Library (TIB), doi : 10.3203 / IWF / E-255 .
- Feathers of the ringed plover
