New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Growth and survival of chicks in relation to nest attendance patterns of little penguins (Eudyptula minor) at Oamaru and Motuara Island, New Zealand
Mihoko Numata
Lloyd S. Davis
Department of Zoology
University of Otago
P.O. Box 56
Dunedin, New Zealand
Martin Renner
Biology Department
Memorial University of Newfoundland
St John’s, Newfoundland, A1B 3X9
Canada
Abstract Little penguins breeding on Motuara Island, New Zealand, went on longer foraging trips during the incubation period compared with those breeding at Oamaru, Otago, resulting in higher rates of egg desertion at Motuara (Numata et al. 2000). In this paper, we report on the differences at these two sites in growth and survival of penguin chicks. During the guard stage at both study areas, parents alternated chick-brooding duties on average every day, and lost 1–2% of their body mass after every trip. However, the duration of the guard stage was significantly shorter at Motuara (15.1 ± 1.0 days) than at Oamaru (20.0 ± 1.0 days). Body condition of parents was poorer at Motuara than at Oamaru. The poorer food supply available to parents during chick rearing probably caused the lower growth rates and higher risks of desertion and starvation of chicks observed at Motuara.
Keywords Eudyptula minor; little penguin; nest attendance; guard stage; foraging trip; body condition; chick growth; chick survival
Z03019;
Received 2 May 2003; accepted 14 April 2004; online publication date 23 August 2004
New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 2004, Vol. 31: 263–269
0301–4223/04/3103–0263 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2004
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