Applicability of ptilochronology as a conservation tool in waterbird studies

Abstract

Ptilochronology is a cost effective tool for determining the nutritional condition of birds. The technique uses the daily growth of feathers to decipher diet and habitat quality as well as contaminant load. To date, most studies using ptilochronology have focused primarily on passerines. The use of the technique in other orders, primarily waterbirds, could lead to a significant increase in their utility as bioindicators of estuarine health. I performed a survey of study skins from the Museum of Natural History in New York, NY and the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, DC to determine whether feather growth bars are present in waterbird species. Three hundred specimens representing 52 species were examined (orders: Pelicaniformes, Suliformes, Gruiformes). Few species did not possess discernible feather growth-bars, and in one case, this may be attributed to a nocturnal foraging habit. Because the majority of species did exhibit measurable growth-bars, it seems as though ptilochronology can be applied in waterbird studies as an efficient tool for management purposes in estuarine habitats.