When do adult Xeme undergo a complete molt before migration?
Answer
In the spring, before northward migration
The molt schedule for adult Xeme exhibits an unusual timing compared to many relatives. Adults undergo a complete feather replacement, or molt, during the spring period, which immediately precedes their long northward migration back to the Arctic breeding grounds. In contrast, they undergo only a partial molt in the autumn after they have already arrived at their distant pelagic wintering areas. This timing pattern—complete molt before moving north and partial molt after arriving south—is a reversal of the standard pattern often observed in other gull species.
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