Abstract

Information is often sparse about whether sex affects arrival of long-distance migratory species at wintering grounds. In this paper we analyze the Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius, a species exhibiting sex-role reversal in its nesting patterns. Between September and December 2005, 166 individuals were found dead along the northern Chile coast, which borders the Humboldt Current. Each individual was tagged, and the date of finding was recorded. Nuclear DNA samples were obtained from 46 individuals and analyzed using a molecular sexing method. Results indicate that females arrived between September and early October, with males appearing in late October. On average, females arrived 26.8 d before males. Results confirm the differential migration according to sex for this species, with females being the first to arrive at the wintering grounds in Chile.