Quantification of Microscopic Feather Characters Used in the Identification of North American Plovers

Variation in microscopic characters of plumulaceous barbs of six species of Charadrius was studied to quantify characters and test differences among taxa. Pluvialis squatarola was used for intergeneric comparisons. Intraspecific variation in feathers from the sternopectoral tract of C. vociferus was examined to define character parameters and to determine within-vane variation and vane symmetry. A significant difference was observed among the barbs of four regions within each vane of the same feather, but barbs from opposing vanes were not significantly different from one another. Interspecific variation then was studied using discriminant function analysis. Pluvialis separated from all species of Charadrius. Two subgroups were apparent within Charadrius: semipalmatus, vociferus and montanus separated from wilsonia, alexandrinus and melodus.