Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of predation risk on the nocturnal activity budgets of thin-billed prions Pachyptila belcheri on New Island, Falkland Islands

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Polar Biology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Predation is a major ecological and evolutionary driver of natural populations, greatly influencing fitness and behaviour of prey species. Small, long-lived petrels are vulnerable to predation at the breeding colonies and are expected to evolve behavioural strategies to minimize predation risks. Using an automatic nest monitoring system and nightly aerial counts, we examined the effect of vegetation cover and moonlight on colony attendance patterns and levels of burrow activity of breeding thin-billed prions, Pachyptila belcheri, on New Island, Falkland Islands. We further investigated how these parameters were related to predation by Falkland skuas. We monitored up to 32 nests in two habitats, one with Tussock grass and one with low vegetation cover. Individuals in both areas were more active at the nest before hatching, and those breeding in the low cover habitat were more active and arrived at the colony earlier, which might reflect an effect of reaction time over predation risk. Nocturnal activity peaks shifted in time as the season progressed, indicating behavioural adjustments to sunrise hours. Moon phase did not affect attendance and activity levels of breeders in either habitat or overall aerial activity, but influenced arrival time at the colony during chick-rearing, individuals arriving later in periods of full moon. Skua capture rates were positively correlated with aerial and nest activity but not with overall breeder attendance and were unaffected by moon phase. Thin-billed prions activity budgets are influenced by environmental parameters that affect their likelihood of being predated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Boersma PD, Davies EM (1987) Sexing monomorphic birds by vent measurements. Auk 104:779–783

    Google Scholar 

  • Boersma PD, Silva MC (2001) Fork-tailed storm-petrel (Oceanodroma furcata). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The Birds of North America. Birds of North America, Philadelphia, no. 569

  • Boersma PD, Wheelwright NT, Nerini MK, Wheelwright ES (1980) The breeding biology of the fork-tailed storm-petrel (Oceanodroma furcata). Auk 97:268–282

    Google Scholar 

  • Bretagnolle V (1990) Effet de la lune sur l’activité des petrels (classe Aves) aux îles selvages (Portugal). Can J Zool 68:1404–1409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bretagnolle V, Genevois F, Mougeot F (1998) Intra- and inter-sexual functions in the call of a non-passerine bird. Behaviour 135:1161–1184

    Google Scholar 

  • Catry P, Campos A, Segurado P, Silva MC, Strange IJ (2003) Population census and nesting habitat selection if thin-billed prion Pachyptila belcheri on New Island, Falkland Islands. Polar Biol 26:202–207

    Google Scholar 

  • Catry P, Silva MC, MacKay S, Campos A, Masello J, Quillfeldt P, Strange IJ (2007) Can thin-billed prions Pachyptila belcheri breed successfully on an island with introduced rats, mice and cats? The case of New Island, Falkland Islands. Polar Biol 30:391–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chastel O, Weimerskirch H, Jouventin P (1995) Body condition and seabird reproductive performance: a study of three petrel species. Ecology 76:2240–2246

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Brooke ML, and Prince PA (1991) Nocturnality in seabirds. Proc Int Orn Congres XX:1113–1121

    Google Scholar 

  • Duriez O (2000) Regulation of chick provisioning in the thin-billed prion: an interannual comparison and manipulation of parents. Can J Zool 78:1275–1283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granadeiro JP, Burns MD, Furness RW (1998) Patterns of activity and burrow attendance in Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea as revealed by a novel logging technique. Ibis 140:458–466

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harfenist A, Ydenberg RC (1995) Parental provisioning and predation risk in rhinoceros auklets (Cerorhinca monocerata): effects on nestling growth and fledging. Behav Ecol 6:82–86

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Harris MP (1969) The biology of storm-petrels in the Galapagos Islands. Proc Calif Acad Sci 37:95–166

    Google Scholar 

  • Huntington CE, Butler RG, Mauck RA (1996) Leach’s storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorrhoa). In: Poole A, Gill F (eds) The Birds of North America. Birds of North America, Philadelphia, no. 233

  • Imber MJ (1975) Behaviour of petrels in relation to the moon and artificial lights. Notornis 22:302–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Keitt BS, Tershy BR, Croll DA (2004) Nocturnal behavior reduces predation pressure on black-vented shearwaters Puffinus opisthomelas. Mar Ornithol 32:173–178

    Google Scholar 

  • Klomp NI, Furness RW (1992) Patterns of chick feeding in Cory’s Shearwater and the associations with ambient light. Colon Waterbirds 15:95–102

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lima SL (1998) Stress and decision-making under the risk of predation: recent developments from behavioral, reproductive and ecological perspectives. Adv Study Behav 27:215–290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lima SL, Dill LM (1990) Behavioral decisions made under the risk of predation: a review and prospectus. Can J Zool 68:619–640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marchant S, Higgins PJ (eds) (1990) The handbook of Australian, New Zealand and Antarctic Birds. Oxford University Press, Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin TE (1996) Nest predation and avian life-history evolution in Europe versus North America: a possible role for humans? Am Nat 147:1028–1046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Miyazaki M (1996) Vegetation cover, kleptoparasitism by diurnal gulls, and timing of arrival of nocturnal Rhinoceros Auklets. Auk 113:698–702

    Google Scholar 

  • Mougeot F, Bretagnolle V (2000a) Predation as a cost of sexual communication in nocturnal seabirds: an experimental approach using acoustic signals. Anim Behav 60:647–656

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mougeot F, Bretagnolle V (2000b) Predation risk and moonlight avoidance in nocturnal seabirds. J Avian Biol 31:376–386

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mougeot F, Genevois F, Bretagnolle V (1998) Predation on burrowing petrels by the brown skua (Catharacta skua lonnbergi) at Mayes Island, Kerguelen. J Zool 244:429–438

    Google Scholar 

  • Nordstrom M, Korpimaki E (2004) Effects of island isolation and feral mink removal on bird communities on small islands in the Baltic Sea. J Anim Ecol 73:424–433

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phalan B, Phillips RA, Silk JRD, Afanasyev V, Fukuda A, Fox J, Catry P, Higuchi H, Croxall JP (2007) Foraging behaviour of four albatross species by night and day. MEPS 340:271–286

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pierotti R (1982) Habitat selection and its effect on reproductive output in the Herring gull in Newfoundland. Ecology 63:854–868

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pinheiro J, Bates D, DebRoy S, Sarkar D, R. Core team (2009) nlme: linear and nonlinear mixed effects models. R Package Version 3:1–92

    Google Scholar 

  • Quillfeldt P, Maselalo J, Strange IJ, Buchanan KL (2006) Begging and provisioning of thin-billed prions, Pachyptila belcheri, are related to testorone and corticosterone. Anim Behav 71:1359–1369

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva MC, Boersma PD, MacKay S, Strange IJ (2007) Egg size and parental quality in thin-billed prions, Pachyptila belcheri: effects on offspring fitness. Anim Behav 74:1403–1412

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storey AE, Grimmer BL (1986) Effect of illumination on the nocturnal activities of Manx Shearwaters: colony avoidance or inconspicuous behavior? Bird Behav 6:85–89

    Google Scholar 

  • Strange IJ (1980) The thin-billed prion, Pachyptila belcheri, at New Island, Falkland Islands. Le Gerfaut 70:411–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Wanless RM, Angel A, Cuthbert RJ, Hilton GM, Ryan PG (2007) Can predation by invasive mice drive seabird extinctions? Biol Lett 3:241–244

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Warham J (1990) The petrels. Their ecology and breeding systems. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Warham J (1996) The behaviour. Population biology and physiology of the petrels. Academic Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanuki Y (1986) Moonlight avoidance behavior in leach’s storm-petrels as a defense against slaty-backed Gulls. Auk 103:14–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Watanuki Y (2002) Moonlight and activity of breeders and non-breeders of Leach′s storm-petrels. J Yamashina Inst Ornithol 34:245–249

    Google Scholar 

  • Weidinger K (1998) Effect of predation by skuas on breeding success of the Cape petrel Daption capense at Nelson Island, Antarctica. Polar Biol 20:170–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto T, Takahashi A, Yoda K, Katsumata N, Watanabe S, Sato K, Trathan PN (2008) The lunar cycle affects at-sea behaviour in a pelagic seabird, the streaked shearwater, Calonectris leucomelas. Anim Behav 76:1647–1652

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young EC (1976) Behavioural ecology of lonnbergi skuas in relation to environment on the Chatham Islands. NZ J Zool 5:401–416

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to S. MacKay for invaluable help with fieldwork, database organization and review of early versions of the manuscript. We are also grateful to the Physics Department, University of Washington, for access to equipment necessary to roll the coils, and to M. Burns, University of Glasgow for help with system maintenance. We thank the owners and crew of the “Professor Molchanov” for transportation to New Island. P Catry provided useful comments on the manuscript. Funding was provided by grants from Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (BD/9356/96 and BPD/22276/05) to MCS and also by the project Albatroz (PTDC/MAR/099366/2008). We also thank the New Island Conservation Trust, Falkland Islands Government and Wildlife Conservation Society for support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Washington, Box 351800, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Mónica C. Silva & P. Dee Boersma

  2. Centro de Biologia Ambiental, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Bloco C2, 3º Piso, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisbon, Portugal

    Mónica C. Silva

  3. CESAM, Museu Nacional de História Natural, Universidade de Lisboa, 1250-102, Lisbon, Portugal

    José P. Granadeiro

  4. New Island Conservation Trust, New Island, Falkland Islands

    Ian Strange

Authors
  1. Mónica C. Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. José P. Granadeiro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Dee Boersma
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ian Strange
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mónica C. Silva.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Silva, M.C., Granadeiro, J.P., Boersma, P.D. et al. Effects of predation risk on the nocturnal activity budgets of thin-billed prions Pachyptila belcheri on New Island, Falkland Islands. Polar Biol 34, 421–429 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-010-0897-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-010-0897-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation