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Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers
Includes bibliographical references.
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| Main Author: | |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Department of Biological Sciences
2015
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| _version_ | 1867614044779708416 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Paijmans, Dane Matthew |
| author2 | Ryan, Peter G |
| author_browse | Paijmans, Dane Matthew Ryan, Peter G |
| author_facet | Ryan, Peter G Paijmans, Dane Matthew |
| author_sort | Paijmans, Dane Matthew |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | Includes bibliographical references. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/12975 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:47.466Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publishDateRange | 2015 |
| publishDateSort | 2015 |
| publisher | Department of Biological Sciences |
| publisherStr | Department of Biological Sciences |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/12975 Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers Paijmans, Dane Matthew Ryan, Peter G Hockey, Phil A R Ornithology Includes bibliographical references. African Black Oystercatchers (Haematopus moquini) have a modal clutch size of two eggs but occasionally lay one or three eggs. It has been noted that an increase in frequency of larger threeand even four-egg clutches has occurred over the last few decades. By analysing extensive historical nest records dating back five decades I verified the occurrence of this increase in three-egg clutches over many of the sites within their breeding range. As African Black Oystercatchers are very territorial, co-operative polygyny was rejected as a sole cause (through observations). As eggs were found to be significantly similar (through intra-clutch egg shape comparisons) within clutches egg-dumping as a cause was also rejected. It was thus established that the increase in three-egg clutch frequency was indicating an increase in breeding effort. On further analysis of this increase, it was discovered that three-egg clutches offer no benefit to species fitness or breeding success as they do not result in an increased fledgling output to those of the smaller two-egg clutches. This is primarily due to inefficient incubation as a result of the extra egg, and the inability to maintain and feed a larger brood size. This study validates previous assertions that three-egg clutch frequency is increasing for African Black Oystercatchers. 2015-05-28T07:02:09Z 2015-05-28T07:02:09Z 2014 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12975 eng application/pdf Department of Biological Sciences Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Ornithology Paijmans, Dane Matthew Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers |
| title_full | Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers |
| title_short | Investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of African black oystercatchers |
| title_sort | investigating the possible change in breeding strategy of african black oystercatchers |
| topic | Ornithology |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12975 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT paijmansdanematthew investigatingthepossiblechangeinbreedingstrategyofafricanblackoystercatchers |