The following data were collected for each bird every 7 to 13 days from 30 June to 5 December 1980. 1. Band number 2. Cage and cell number 3. Microwave exposure (and date of commencement) 4. Card number 5. Data 6. Sex (7) 7. Cloacal protuberance or brood patch development (as indications of breeding condition, see Svensson (8), Salvadori and Youngstrom (9)). 8. Total Molt Scoring. The molt card is based on the one used by the British Trust for Ornithology, see Snow (10). Snow’s numbering, sequences, and definitions are used. Following the standard “molt score” system used by Evans (11), old remiges and rectrices were scored zero; one for feathers absent or in pin; two, three, and four for various stages of growth; and five for complete new feathers. The scoring system used ranged from a minimum score of zero (no feather loss) to a maximum score of 240 (full or total molt) as shown below: • primaries 90 (18 major feathers x 5) • Secondaries 60 (12 major feathers x 5) • Tertails 30 (6 major feathers x 5) • Tails 60 (12 major feathers X 5) Total Maximum Score 240 The score from the feathers of the bird’s right side was multiplied by 2 to produce the total molt score for that bird, as it was assumed that the normal course of molt was symmetrical (10). The total scores from periodic observations were plotted against data to indicate speed and timing of molt (12,13). 9. Flight feather length measurements. The feathers chosen are (with a few exceptions due to wear or accidental loss) the left side primaries (PP) numbers 1, 4, 9; secondaries (SS) 1, 4; tertial (TT) 7; tail (TL) 1 and 6. The old unmolted feathers were measured once from the base to tip with a dial vernier calipers to 0.1 mm. Feather loss was noted and all growing feathers measured periodically until completion of growth. Variability of length of old feathers may be introduced by normal wear, especially on the tail and perhaps primary 9. On the first observation, birds were observed for any abnormalities and conventional measurements were taken of tail length, including flat and chord lengths of wings from carpal joint to the tip of the longest primary. Results and Discussion In reviewing data for molt of flight feathers, several confounding factors were evident. Individual birds began and ended molting at different times and some birds had already started to molt when they were included in the experiment. It was also evident that data for the end of molting were more complete and, therefore, might be more useful as a common point of reference with which to combine molting of different birds within and among treatments. In those instances where molting was not complete (score of 240) at the last observation, the scores for
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