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Reproductive investment and parental roles in Sabine's gulls Xema sabini

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Abstract

More than 90% of avian species exhibit biparental care, though parental activities are often shared unequally between the members of a pair. Among gull species (Laridae), males and females generally share parental activities, although there appear to be considerable differences between species in the relative contribution of each sex. This study examined the behaviour of male and female Sabine's gulls (Xema sabini) during the incubation period and immediately post-hatch; particularly the amount of time they each invested in breeding activities. Although considered an aberrant species in aspects of behaviour and biology, the Sabine's gull showed a high reproductive investment by both sexes, as other gull species do. Males fed females prior to egg laying and contributed equally to incubation and chick provisioning, and females contributed equally to nest defence. Overall, there was no difference between the sexes in the extent of their contributions to parental care, although there was considerable individual variation within pairs. Sabine's gulls are Arctic breeders and the extent of their contributions to parental activities could have been influenced by their extreme breeding environment and short breeding season.

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Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to the community of Coral Harbour for encouragement and permission to work in East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut. We are indebted to Rachel Bryant for her assistance and dedication in the field, to all of the East Bay field crews for their assistance, encouragement and company over the years of this study, and to Keith Lewis for analytical advice. We sincerely thank Anne-Marie Gale and Dr. Steve Carr of the Biology Department, Memorial University of Newfoundland, for their vital role in identifying the sex of individuals from often less than perfect blood samples. This research was supported by the Canadian Wildlife Service (H.G.G.), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (Individual Operating Grant to W.A.M.), Memorial University of Newfoundland (Graduate Fellowship and Hatcher Scholarship to I.J.S.), and the Polar Continental Shelf Project. We sincerely thank Dr. Carolyn Walsh and two anonymous referees for insightful comments that improved earlier versions of this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Programme, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9, Canada

    Iain J. Stenhouse

  2. Canadian Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0H3, Canada

    H. Grant Gilchrist

  3. Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Programme, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland , A1B 3X9, Canada

    William A. Montevecchi

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  1. Iain J. Stenhouse
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  2. H. Grant Gilchrist
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  3. William A. Montevecchi
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Correspondence to Iain J. Stenhouse.

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Stenhouse, I.J., Grant Gilchrist, H. & Montevecchi, W.A. Reproductive investment and parental roles in Sabine's gulls Xema sabini . J Ethol 22, 85–89 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-003-0106-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10164-003-0106-y

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