LARGE-SCALE PATTERNS OF MOLT ACTIVATION IN THE FLIGHT FEATHERS OF TWO ALBATROSS SPECIES

Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis) and the closely-related Black-footed Albatross (P. nigripes) replace 20%–90% of their 35–41 wing flight feathers every year. Large-scale molt patterns (patterns between rather than within molt series) account for 77% of the variation in the number of flight feathers replaced. We identified four molt series: series A—the five outer primaries; series B—the five inner primaries plus four outer secondaries;...