Moult of New Holland Honeyeaters, Phylidonyris novaehollandiae (Aves : Meliphagidae), in Victoria I. Moult of Adults

Abstract

In two populations of New Holland honeyeaters Phylidonyris novaehollandiae in Victoria, the sequence of feather replacement in the adult was typically passerine. The primaries were replaced from the innermost outwards, the secondaries from the outermost inwards and the rectrices from the centre outwards. Moult of secondaries and rectrices commenced later than the moult of primaries, and although all the rectrices had been replaced before the last primaries, the innermost secondaries were still growing after the last primaries had been replaced. Individuals took, on average, 106 days to replace all their primaries, and about 130 days to replace all their flight feathers. Flight feathers were replaced between October and March; body feathers were replaced throughout the year, but mainly during summer, when the birds also moulted their flight feathers. Moult usually commenced after spring breeding, and differences in the timing of moult between populations and years can be related to differences in the completion of spring breeding. Females commenced their moult, on average, 14 days later than males; this is probably due to the greater energy and protein commitments of females during breeding. Breeding and moult were usually mutually exclusive, and several females arrested their primary or secondary moult while breeding over autumn (February-April). Body moult was least during breeding.