Breeding and moult phenology of an avian community in the Pugu Hills, Tanzania

Abstract

Mlingwa, C.O.F. 2000. Breeding and moult phenology of an avian community in the Pugu Hills, Tanzania. Ostrich 71 (1 & 2): 87–90. The breeding and moult phenology of an avian community in the Pugu Hills in coastal Tanzania was investigated in a ringing study carried out during January to March 1993, June 1994 to May 1995, and October 1995. A total of 74 bird species was examined. Breeding activity was concentrated from October to April with peak activity between November and February/March. Little or no breeding activity was recorded in May-September period. Moult, on the other hand, was much more spread throughout the annual cycle. Only at the end of the dry period in September and the start of the breeding season in October/November was moulting activity very low. These results are discussed in relation to seasonality of the environment in the study area. It is also suggested that although both processes are physiologically very costly, breeding is much more critical than moult hence must be timed to occur during the best period of the annual cycle.