Plumages and size variation of the Himalayan Rubythroat, Luscinia pectoralis (Gould, 1837) (Aves: Muscicapidae)

V.M. Loskot & K.K. Daletskaya

Abstract. Individual, sex, age, and seasonal variation of plumage colour was studied in four subspecies of the Himalayan Rubythroat, Luscinia pectoralis (Gould, 1837). The analysis was carried out on 253 bird skins. It is known that the postjuvenile moult in this species affects all or, less frequently, four or five lateral pairs of rectrices in most birds of both sexes. A trait combination that includes coloration of upperparts, upper wing coverts, throat spot, and rectrices was shown to be highly useful for diagnosing age, sex, and subspecies. In subspecies, five plumages are described in detail: juvenile, first winter, first summer, winter, and summer plumages of adults. Also, within-group and between-group variation of nine linear measurements in L. p. ballioni (n = 73) and L. p. tschebaiewi (n = 72) was studied. Canonical variate analysis suggests that these subspecies differ not just in generaln size (L. p. tschebaiewi is larger), but in wing shape as well: in L. p. ballioni the wing top is more pointed. Overall, the results of the multivariate analysis suggest that age-and-sex variation in these measurements within the two subspecies is 2.7 times lower than is the difference between them. Apparently three levels of within-species variation may be separated: (a) the closest subspecies are L. p. pectoralis and L. p. ballioni; (b) L. p. confusa is a well-differentiated subspecies; and (c) L. p. tschebaiewi is even more distinct and may be regarded as a megasubspecies sensu Amadon & Short (1976).

Zoosystematica Rossica, 2000, 9(2): 463–486 ▪ Published in print 15 June 2001

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