New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
*Author for correspondence.
Z99049Received 12
December 1999; accepted 24 July 2000
Telemetry reduces colony attendance by sooty shearwaters (Puffinus
griseus)
ILKA S. SöHLE*
email: sohil735@student.otago.ac.nz
HENRIK MOLLER
Department of Zoology
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56, Dunedin
DAVID FLETCHER
Department of Mathematics and Statistics
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56, Dunedin
CHRISTOPHER J. R. ROBERTSON
P.O. Box 12397
Wellington, New Zealand
Abstract Twenty four imitation satellite transmitters (ISTs)
were attached to breeding sooty shearwater (
Puffinus griseus) adults
late in the 1998/99 breeding season at Taiaroa Head, Otago Peninsula, New
Zealand. There was no evidence of any difference in mean weight, change in
weight or measurements of adults, nor breeding success of birds carrying ISTs
compared with non-treatment birds. However the probability of attending the
colony on a given night was reduced to 26% of its initial value from early
March to mid April in IST-carrying birds, but not at all amongst non-treatment
birds. No difference in ensuing weight, size and emergence date of chicks was
detected between treatment and control groups. The maximum recorded attachment
duration for an IST using glue was 21 days. Harnesses may be needed for longer
studies of foraging behaviour late in the breeding season. Satellite-tracking
studies will over-estimate normal foraging trip lengths and possibly
under-estimate the amount of food usually provided to chicks if the reduced
colony attendance detected in this study is a widespread problem.
Keywords satellite telemetry; impact; colony attendance;
Procellariiformes; sooty shearwater; Puffinus griseus
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2000, Vol. 27: 367-373
0301-4223/00/2704-0367 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New
Zealand 2000
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (1614K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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