Replacement nesting and double-brooding in Malaysian Plovers Charadrius peronii: Effects of season and food availability

Abstract

In shorebirds, the prevalence of successive clutching and types of associated breeding strategies differ among species, environments and individuals. Although several studies have examined successive clutching behaviour in holarctic species, little research has been conducted in the tropics. To assess the full range of reproductive strategies and better understand breeding constraints in tropical environments, we characterised successive clutching behaviour in 54 and 79 colour-banded Malaysian Plovers Charadrius peronii over two years in the Gulf of Thailand. We also examined monthly changes in clutch size, clutch volume, prey availability and breeding success because temporal variability in breeding conditions can affect the prevalence, timing of, and parental role-division between successive clutches. Short intervals between clutches, successive monogamy, high within-season site fidelity, double-brooding, and complete biparental care were general characteristic of successive clutching behaviour. We did not detect any declines in clutch size, clutch volume, prey availability and reproductive success during the course of the breeding season. For Malaysian Plovers, the stable and progressively favourable prey supply and weather conditions, lack of migration, and intense competition for breeding habitats may have contributed to a breeding system constrained more by habitat availability than by time. In these environments, pairs may retain mates and breed multiple times during the long breeding season.