Using biometrics to sex adult Eurasian Curlews Numenius a. arquata
Info
Pages
71 – 74
Published
1 April 13
Authors
Ron W. Summers, Snæbjörn Pálsson, Brian Etheridge, Simon Foster, Bob Swann
Correspondence
Ron W. Summers
ron.summers@rspb.org.uk
Lismore, Mill Crescent, North Kessock, Inverness, IV1 3XY, Scotland.
Files
Public Files
We analysed the biometrics of molecularly-sexed Eurasian Curlews of the arquata subspecies to determine the most accurate means of identifying sex using measurements. We found that bill length alone could be used to predict the sex of most curlews (64/67 or 95.5%) and that the inclusion of wing length did not improve the proportion sexed correctly. In the Appendix we provide instructions on how to determine the sex and sex-ratio of adult Eurasian Curlews.