Consequences of variation in brood size on the allocation of parental care in common terns (Sterna hirundo)

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 2411-2413 ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Wiggins
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Brood Size ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Foraging Effort ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
Care Patterns

Data on the behaviour of common tern (Sterna hirundo) parents were analyzed to document shifts in parental care patterns with changes in brood size. The primary roles of the sexes, chick feeding by males, and brood attendance by females, did not change with shifts in brood size. Rather, parents simply altered the amount of care provided. One-chick broods received more parental attendance at the nest site than both two- and three-chick broods, likely as a result of the increased foraging effort of two- and three-chick parents. The number of chick feeds per hour increased significantly with each increase in brood size, but the number of feeds of each chick per hour did not. Thus, although parents increased their foraging effort with increasing brood size, the net effect was that chicks in all brood sizes were fed at similar rates.

scholarly journals Floating rafts as breeding habitats for the Common tern, Sterna hirundo. Colonization patterns, abundance and reproductive success in Venice Lagoon

2018 ◽  
Vol 88 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Coccon ◽  
Stefano Borella ◽  
Nicola Simeoni ◽  
Stefano Malavasi
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Breeding Population ◽  
Venice Lagoon ◽  
Reproductive Period ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Breeding Sites ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
Colonization Patterns ◽  
Floating Rafts

The Venice lagoon hosts the 15% of the entire Italian breeding population of Common terns, Sterna hirundo, highlighting the great value of the area for this species. However, in the last 25 years, a substantial decline of Common terns has been detected in the Lagoon, which culminated in 2008. The main causes of this negative trend were the loss of salt marsh habitats, where terns typically breed in the Venice lagoon. This was due to the increase in the mean sea level and the greater frequency of high tides during the reproductive period with consequent flooding of their breeding sites; competition with yellowlegged gulls (Larus michahellis), predation and human disturbance. As a preliminary experimental approach to counter the depletion of the species and favour its recovery, we performed a habitat loss compensation project by setting up four floating rafts (3x2m), covered by two different types of substrate (sandy and vegetal substrate). This was to function as an artificial nesting site safe from flooding, positioned in a protected internal wetland area of the Venice lagoon, Valle Averto (Sourthern Lagoon). We studied the colonization patterns of the rafts and the reproductive success of Common tern breeding pairs during the 2014 and 2015 breeding seasons. We also investigated those environmental and structural variables that could favour the use of the rafts and the nesting success of the species. In both years, the rafts were successfully colonized and used by terns for nesting. Our results also indicated higher temperature, lower rainfall and greater distance from the shore as the main habitat factors favouring the occurrence and the reproductive success of the breeding pairs, while a windrow of dead plants was indicated as the preferred substrate for covering rafts in order to make them more attractive. The results provided some suggestions for successful restoration plans to be developed in similar lagoon areas.

Nest Site Selection by the Common Tern Sterna hirundo on Oneida Lake, New York

1982 ◽  
Vol 5 ◽  
pp. 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucia Liu Severinghaus
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Site Selection ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Oneida Lake ◽  
The Common

Within and between season nest-site and mate fidelity in Common Terns(Sterna hirundo)

1999 ◽  
Vol 140 (4) ◽  
pp. 491-498 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob González-Solís ◽  
Helmut Wendeln ◽  
Peter H. Becker
Keyword(s):  
Nest Site ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Mate Fidelity ◽  
Common Terns

scholarly journals Some Population Aspects of Common Tern Sterna hirundo Breeding in Algeria at a Small Mediterranean Island (East Coast of Algeria)

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-69
Author(s):  
Mohamed Dhaya El-Hak Khemis ◽  
Lamia Boutabia ◽  
Kamilia Farhi ◽  
Ali Elafri ◽  
Asma Kahli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clutch Size ◽  
Hatching Success ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Shape Index ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Small Island ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
Mediterranean Island ◽  
Mussel Shells

Abstract We present the first detailed study of population dynamics, breeding biology and egg measurement of Common Terns. During six years (from 2004 to 2009) of monitoring, from mid-May to mid-August, 74 Common Terns individual were recorded at Laouinet small island, El Tarf, northeast of Algeria, witha finite population growth rate that indicated an alarming population decline(λ = -0.62: Lambda). Sterna hirundo build its nests (n = 37) in the northeast at a mean distance of 7.58 m from the closest edge of rocks. The nests were closed and ovoid, constituted mainly of mussel shells Sandpit, stems and leaves. Incubation was performed by pairs of common tern and lasted 25.5 ±3.4 days. We recorded a clutch size of 1 to 3 eggs with mean clutch size of 2.45±0.65 (41.24±0.83 × 30.46±0.62 mm). The egg parameters (volume, mass, shape index) varied between the six years of the study. The egg volume (19.24±0.87) depended more on egg width (30.46±0.62), however the egg shape (0.73±0.20) depended negatively on the egg length (41.24±0.83) but not on the egg width. Our results also showed a stabilized hatching success and a best estimation of breeding success. The hatching success did not vary between years: 70.5% in 2004, 68.75% in 2005, 71.42% in 2006, 71.42% in 2007, 69.23% in 2008 and 69.23% in 2009.

Parental care of replacement clutches in common terns ( Sterna hirundo )

2000 ◽  
Vol 47 (6) ◽  
pp. 382-392 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Wendeln ◽  
P. H. Becker ◽  
J. González-Solís
Keyword(s):  
Parental Care ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Common Terns

Relationship between nest sites of common terns and vegetation on the Eastern Headland, Toronto Outer Harbour

1978 ◽  
Vol 56 (9) ◽  
pp. 2057-2061 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Blokpoel ◽  
P. M. Catling ◽  
G. T. Haymes
Keyword(s):  
Great Majority ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Study Plot ◽  
Common Terns

The distribution of common tern (Sterna hirundo) nests relative to vegetation and objects (rocks and sticks) was studied on the Eastern Headland of the Toronto Outer Harbour in 1977. The vegetative cover in one study plot ranged from 0–10% to 91–100%, with a mean of 16%. In that plot the vegetative cover near nests ranged from 0–10% to 81–90%, with a mean of 44%. In the second study plot where plants were widely scattered, the great majority of the nests were situated next to plants or objects. Possible advantages and disadvantages of this behaviour are briefly discussed.

Adaptations for marsh nesting in common and Forster's terns

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (6) ◽  
pp. 1417-1420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne E. Storey
Keyword(s):  
Salt Marsh ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
High Water ◽  
The United States ◽  
Nest Site Selection ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Barrier Beach ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
Dead Vegetation ◽  
Nest Height

Salt marsh colonies of common terns (Sterna hirundo) appear to be increasing along the east coast of the United States, particularly in areas where there is heavy use of their traditional barrier beach habitat by humans. The potential for successful marsh nesting by common terns was examined by comparing their nesting requirements with those of marsh-nesting Forster's terns (S. forsteri). The comparison focused on nest survival of tidal inundation, the major source of nest loss for marsh-nesting birds. Both species typically build short nests, which are usually elevated on mats of dead vegetation. Forster's tern nests were on lower ground, on higher mats, and in taller grass than were common tern nests. The lower ground at Forster's tern nests is offset by higher mats, and total nest height above mean high water is the same for both species. The high grass and low ground at Forster's tern sites resembles those of other typically marsh-nesting species, and offers more protection from tides that exceed nest height, because high grass helps to hold the mat and nest in place. Forster's terns renested more quickly after flooding, produced larger replacement clutches, and hatching occurred at a higher proportion of late nests compared with common terns. These differences suggest that Forster's terns are better adapted to the frequent necessity to renest in the salt marsh. Species differences in nest sites do not appear to be the result of interspecific competition, but rather may reflect different responses of the two species to water around the nest site during the period of nest site selection.

scholarly journals Common Terns Sterna hirundo incubating a Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena egg

Ornis Svecica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
pp. 53-59
Author(s):  
Lars Bern
Keyword(s):  
Dna Sequencing ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Behavioural Response ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Egg Discrimination ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
Natural Nest ◽  
Species Assignment ◽  
Podiceps Grisegena

During a study of Red-necked Grebes Podiceps grisegena in Lake Slagsmyren, Sweden, a pair of Common Terns Sterna hirundo were observed to have placed their two eggs on a deserted, floating nest of a Red-necked Grebe. Prior to this, the grebes had laid one egg of their own in the nest and this egg was included by the terns in their clutch and incubated by them. The species assignment of the odd egg was confirmed with DNA sequencing. A lack of natural nest sites for the terns to use at the lake could have caused this somewhat unusual choice of a nest site. I discuss possible explanations for adopting a foreign egg, including the adaptive behavioural response to roll an egg into the nest bowl to salvage lost eggs, the incubation stimulus that foreign eggs or egg-like objects potentially provide, and the limited egg discrimination abilities of Common Terns. The incubation of a foreign egg may reasonably be assumed to cost energy but to be of little benefit, if any, to the incubator.

Palmer on Behavior of Common Terns A Behavior Study of the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo hirundo L.) Ralph S. Palmer

The Auk ◽  
1942 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 128-128
Author(s):  
David E. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Common Tern ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
Behavior Study ◽  
The Common

Shell thickness, DDE levels in eggs, and reproductive success in common terns (Sterna hirundo), in Alberta

1971 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce Switzer ◽  
Victor Lewin ◽  
Fred H. Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Success ◽  
Shell Thickness ◽  
Avian Species ◽  
Common Tern ◽  
Sterna Hirundo ◽  
Eggshell Thickness ◽  
Large Measure ◽  
Common Terns ◽  
The Common ◽  
Comprehensive Study

A comprehensive study of reproductive success of an isolated colony of common terns (Sterna hirundo) reveals that DDE, the principal chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide found in the terns, cannot be correlated to eggshell thickness. The low reproductive success observed was attributed in large measure to disappearance of eggs and nest abandonment, responsible for 76% of the failures, while cracked or broken eggs accounted for only 16%. It is suggested that the direct correlation of DDE to eggshell thickness, implicated in the reproductive failure of other avian species, may be an oversimplification in the case of the common tern.

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