Foraging ecology and interactions with fisheries of wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) breeding at South Georgia

2004 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 324-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Xavier ◽  
P. N. Trathan ◽  
J. P. Croxall ◽  
A. G. Wood ◽  
G. Podesta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Ecology ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Diomedea Exulans

scholarly journals Variation among colonies in breeding success and population trajectories of wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans at South Georgia

Polar Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carola Rackete ◽  
Sally Poncet ◽  
Stephanie D. Good ◽  
Richard A. Phillips ◽  
Ken Passfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Condition ◽  
Breeding Success ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Contributing Factors ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Vortex Model ◽  
Demographic Rates ◽  
Diomedea Exulans ◽  
Adult Body ◽  
Provisioning Rate

AbstractThe wandering albatross, Diomedea exulans, is a globally threatened species breeding at a number of sites within the Southern Ocean. Across the South Georgia archipelago, there are differences in population trends even at closely located colonies. Between 1999 and 2018 the largest colony, at Bird Island, declined at 3.01% per annum, while in the Bay of Isles, the decline was 1.44% per annum. Using mean demographic rates from a 31-year study at Bird Island and an 11-year study of breeding success at Prion Island in the Bay of Isles in a VORTEX model, we show that differences in breeding success do not fully explain observed differences in population trends. Other potential contributing factors are differential use of foraging areas, with possible knock-on effects on adult body condition, provisioning rate and breeding success, or on bycatch rates of adults or immatures.

scholarly journals Provisioning Rate and Attendance Patterns of Wandering Albatrosses at Bird Island, South Georgia

The Condor ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 103 (2) ◽  
pp. 230-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon D. Berrow ◽  
John P. Croxall
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behavior ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
Work Rate ◽  
Meal Size ◽  
Trip Duration ◽  
Foraging Patterns ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Diomedea Exulans ◽  
Attendance Patterns ◽  
Provisioning Rate

Abstract We investigated foraging behavior of Wandering Albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) breeding at South Georgia to assess how sex and season-specific foraging patterns relate to provisioning performance. We estimated Wandering Albatross chicks require 60–65 kg of food over the chick-rearing period; males deliver 54% of this total. Meal size delivered by both sexes remained essentially constant throughout the post-brooding chick-rearing period, but foraging trip duration varied considerably. Females made consistently longer foraging trips and delivered smaller meals but transported an average load that was 20% heavier in proportion to their body mass than males. We suggest that chick-rearing places greater demands on females compared with males and Wandering Albatrosses work hard to deliver food during the first half of chick rearing (at the expense of their own condition), thereafter reduce their work rate, presumably so as not to compromise their survival.

The foraging behaviour and energetics of wandering albatrosses brooding chicks

1996 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 229-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.P.Y Arnould ◽  
D.R. Briggs ◽  
J.P. Croxall ◽  
P.A. Prince ◽  
A.G. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Energy Expenditure ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Satellite Telemetry ◽  
Daily Energy Expenditure ◽  
Doubly Labelled Water ◽  
Average Speed ◽  
South Georgia ◽  
Diomedea Exulans ◽  
Significant Relationships ◽  
Daily Energy

The energy expenditure of ten (five male, five female) wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans Linnaeus 1758) brooding chicks on Bird Island, South Georgia, was measured using doubly-labelled water. At-sea foraging behaviour was measured in the same individuals using satellite telemetry and leg-mounted activity recorders. Mean mass-specific daily energy expenditure was 341 kJ kg−1 day−1 during a mean of 4.12 days at sea and did not differ between the sexes. This is significantly lower than previously reported for the species and the lowest recorded for any albatross. There were no significant relationships between energy expenditure and the proportion of time spent flying (59.7%), distance flown (1448 km) or average speed (16.5 km h−1) suggesting that flying is not the most energetically expensive activity during foraging trips.

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