Abstract
Summary Jones, P. J. 1980. The timing of wing moult in the Greyhooded Kingfisher in Nigeria. Ostrich 51:99-106. The post-nuptial and post-juvenile moults of the Greyhooded Kingfisher Halcyon leucocephala took place in northern Nigeria between May and November (the rainy season) after migration from the southern breeding areas. Moult of individual birds lasted between 92 and 176 days, those starting moult latest (mostly juveniles) moulting fastest. This variation may be related to food availability during moult; those starting early do so before the rainy season begins in the north and before insect numbers increase, whereas those moulting later do so during the full flush of rainy season insect availability. This variability appears to be adaptive in allowing the complete moult to be fitted into the period remaining between the end of the breeding season, which is variable, and the southward migration in the early dry season, whose timing is relatively fixed.
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