Molecular sexing of Eurasian Woodcock Scolopax rusticola

0LO VALI & JAANUS ELTS

PO Box227, 50002 Tartu,Estonia, e-maih jaanus. elts@mail. ee

Molecular techniqueshave already been used for several robustand simpleCHD geneanalysis with BshNI or Kpn2I yearsfor sexdetermination in birds.The proceduredescribed restrictases. by Griffiths et al. (1998) enablesresearchers to sex most Many thanksto Allan Baker of the Royal Ontario Mu- species.In this, identificationis basedon an analysisof the seum,Toronto, for usefulcomments on the manuscript. We CHD gene,situated in the avian sexchromosomes. Z andW are thankful to the Estonian Environmental Fund for finan- chromosomescontain different forms of the gene; hence, cial supportof the project. females are heterogeneousfor it. However, there could be species-specificlimitations in the analysis.We checked Griffiths, R., Double, M.C., Orr, K. & Dawson, R.J.G. 1998. A DNA whether the method can be used for sex identification in the test to sex most birds. Molecular Ecology 7: 1071-1075. EurasianWoodcock Scolopaxrusticola. Blood sampleswere taken from 34 birds and storedin 70% alcohol.Blood-sampling took placein Septemberand October2000, in J6gevaCounty, Estonia. We amplifiedan intronof the CHD genefrom bloodsam- ples of four Woodcock individuals, using the standard polymerasechain reaction.Products showed no detectable lengthdifferences in 3% agarosegel but aftersequencing the products,two individualsappeared to be heterogeneous,i.e. they werefemales. Comparison of sequencesfrom malesand femalesshowed that only W formsof the CHD genecontain a BshNI restrictionenzyme cleavagesite. After restriction with BshNI it waseasy to detectthree DNA bandsin females and only one band in males using simple 2% agarosegel electrophoresis.After preliminaryanalysis, we repeatedre- strictionanalysis successfully in 30 individuals, whereas sequencingverified the resultsof restrictions.Alternatively, we usedthe restriction enzyme Kpn2I andgot similarresults. In conclusion, it is easy to sex Woodcocks using the

Common Sandpiper Actitis hypoleucos attempting to evade capture by swimming underwater

DAVID NORMAN

RowswoodCottage, Ridding Lane, Sutton Weaver,Runcorn, Cheshire WA7 6PF, UK, e-maih david.norman@physics. org Clive Minton's note (Minton 2001) aboutwaders swimming downstreamwith me in hot pursuit.It was not easyfor me underwater,apparently to evadecapture, prompts me to de- to keep up with the bird becausethe water depthwas about scribea relevantexperience. 0.6 m (betweenknee-height and the top of my waders)and For severalyears in the early 1980s,several of us stayed the riverbedconsisted mostly of slipperystones. Eventually, nearDumfries, southern Scotland, for a few daysin April and after pursuingit for 10-15 m, I managedto catchit by hand May whilst cannon-nettingspring passage waders with the while it was still underwater. It had swum underwater for all North Solway Ringing Group at Waterfoot, Annan. For a of thatdistance, apparently with ease.I cannotrecall whether pre-breakfast activity we set a mist-net acrossthe local thebird felt dry or wet, but it wascertainly not waterlogged streamresulting, in the first coupleof years,in the capture and, after ringing, flew off normally. of severalDippers Cinclus cinclus and a KingfisherAlcedo I note that severalof the replies to Clive Minton's note, atthis. In the third year, I was very surprisedto catchtwo andother references cited, refer to Commonor SpottedSand- adultCommon Sandpipers. After extractingthe secondone, pipersA. macularia,so perhaps the habit is particularlycom- andwhilst trying to put it into a bird-bagas I wasstill stand- mon in thesespecies. ing in mid-stream,I am ashamedto recountthat I dropped the bird. It thenswam vigorously underwater, using its wings Minton, C. 2001. Wadersdiving and swimmingunderwater as a means to propel it, like a Guillemot Uria aalge, and headedoff of escape.Wader Study Group Bull. 96: 86.

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