Ecological Drivers of Molt-Breeding Overlap, an Unusual Life-History Strategy of Small-Island Birds?

ABSTRACT: Terrestrial bird populations on small, species depauperate islands often experience selection for generalist foraging traits via ecological release; however, it is unclear how island conditions may uniquely influence other life-history characteristics of small-island birds, such as the unusually high rates of molt-breeding overlap exhibited on the island of Grenada. To explore this question, we collected data on the life cycles and diets of 10 commonly occurring Grenadian bird species to assess the degree of generalist foraging and evaluate how seasonal patterns in diet niche breadth and diet overlap among species relates to the high rates of molt-breeding overlap. We evaluated three hypotheses explaining drivers of molt-breeding overlap (constraints on molt rate, unpredictable food abunda

SUBMITTER: De Ruyck CC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11738649 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature