BODY-WEIGHT IN RELATION TO VARIATION IN BODY-SIZE OF OYSTERCATCHERS HAEMATOPUS-OSTRALEGUS

This paper analyses the relationships between body weight in the Oyste rcatcher and two measures of its body size, bill length and wing lengt h. The weight variation between individuals due to differences in body size is nearly as large as the seasonal variation in body weight with in individuals. Wing length is a better predictor of body weight than bill length. The difference in body weight between age classes mostly disappears if wing length is taken into account. In contrast, females with similar wing length as males are 20 g heavier. Carcass analysis s howed that this difference is due to a higher fat loading in the femal es. The paper gives a method to standardize the body weight of the Oys tercatcher.