Journal
JOURNAL OF ETHOLOGY
Volume 28, Issue 2, Pages 313-321Publisher
SPRINGER JAPAN KK
DOI: 10.1007/s10164-009-0187-3
Keywords
Feeding ecology; Foraging behavior; Sex-specific behavior; State-dependent decision; Streaked shearwater
Categories
Funding
- Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (Yamashina Institute for Ornithology) [18651111, 16108002]
- Hokkaido University
- Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research [20241001, 18651111, 16108002] Funding Source: KAKEN
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Parents of albatross and shearwater species employ a dual foraging strategy, feeding their chicks quickly in repeated short trips and then restoring their own fuel reserves during longer trips. A decline in parental body condition is believed to trigger longer trips, but chick body condition and age may also play a role. To investigate these factors in the little-studied streaked shearwater Calonectris leucomelas, we monitored the nest attendance of 17 pairs on Mikura Island in 2005 using an automated identification system. We also monitored body mass changes and meal masses of 5 of the 17 pairs using an automated weighing system. Although the birds did not show a clear dual foraging pattern, trip duration varied widely from 1 to 15 days. On average, the birds fed chicks 67.6 g during nighttime meals at 2.74-day intervals. Since meal mass did not depend on trip duration, feeding efficiency (meal mass delivered per unit trip duration) decreased as trip duration increased. Parents accumulated more energy reserves when they took longer trips. Parents appeared likely to initiate longer trips when their body condition declined or chick body condition recovered.
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