Parental Investments by Seabirds at the Breeding Area with Emphasis on Northern Gannets, Morus bassanus

  • W. A. Montevecchi
  • J. M. Porter
Chapter

Abstract

Present studies indicate that marine birds bond monogamously (e.g., Richdale, 1951; Austin and Austin, 1956; Coulson, 1966; cf. Chapter 5), are relatively long-lived, and generally exhibit delayed maturity (Lack, 1968). With the exception of murres (Tuck, 1961), razorbills, and some murrelets (Sealy, 1973), seabird hatchlings exhibit altricial through semiprecocial modes of development. All seabirds, except for some murrelets, are nidiculous during a considerable portion of posthatch development and therefore require extensive parental care at the breeding area. Parents provide offspring with body heat and food, and depending on the species, protection from weather and predators, and opportunities for learning (Nice, 1962).

Keywords

Nest Site Parental Investment Parental Feeding Common Tern Nestling Period 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Allan, R. G., 1962, The Madeiran Storm Petrel Oceanodroma castro, Ibis 103b: 274–296.Google Scholar
  2. Ar, A., and Yom-Tov, Y., 1978, The evolution of parental care, Evolution 32: 655–669.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. Arnason, E., and Grant, P. R., 1978, The significanc of kleptoparasitism during the breeding season in a colony of Arctic Skuas Stercorarius parasiticus in Iceland, Ibis 120: 38–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. Ashmole, N. P., 1963, The regulation of numbers of tropical oceanic birds, Ibis 103b: 458–473.Google Scholar
  5. Ashmole, N. P., 1971, Seabird ecology and the marine environment, in: Avian Biology ( D. S. Farner and J. R. King, eds), Vol. 1, pp. 223–286, Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
  6. Aulie, A., 1976, The pectoral muscles and the development of thermoregulation in chicks of Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus), Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 53A: 343–346.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. Austin, O. L., and Austin, O. L., Jr., 1956, Some demographic aspects of the Cape Cod popu-lation of Common Terns (Sterna hirundo), Bird-Banding 27: 55–66.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. Barlee, J., 1956, Flying for business and pleasure, Shell Aviation News, pp. 2–9.Google Scholar
  9. Bartholomew, G. A., 1966, The role of behavior in the temperature regulation of the Masked Booby, Condor 68: 523–535.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. Bédard, J., 1969, Adaptive radiation in Alcidae, Ibis 111: 189–198.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. Beer, C. G., 1966, Incubation and nest-building behavior of Black headed Gulls. V: The post-hatching period, Behavior 26: 189–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. Belopolskii, L. 0., 1961, Ecology of Sea Colony Birds of the Barents Sea, Israel Program for Scientific Translations, Jerusalem.Google Scholar
  13. Bent, A. C., 1921, Life Histories of North American Gulls and Terns, Smithsonian Institute U.S. National Museum Bulletin 113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. Borudulina, T. L., 1966, Biological and economic importance of gulls and terns of southern USSR water bodies, Ecol. Morphol. Birds Mann. Natl. Sci. Fnd. (transl.), Washington, D.C.Google Scholar
  15. Brown, R. B. G., 1967, Courtship behaviour in the Lesser Black-backed Gull, Larus fuscus, Behavior 29: 122–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. Burger, J., in press, On becoming independent in Herring Gulls: Parent-young conflict. Am. Nat. Case, T. J., 1978a, Endothermy and parental care in the terrestrial vertebrates, Am. Nat. 112:861–874.Google Scholar
  17. Case, T. J., 1978b, On the evolution and adaptive significance of postnatal growth rates in the terrestrial vertebrates, Q. Rev. Biol. 53: 243–282.PubMedCrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. Collias, E. C., and Collias, N. E., 1957, The response of chicks of the Franklin’s Gull to parental bill-color, Auk 74: 371–375.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. Coulson, J. C., 1966, The influence of the pair bond and age on the breeding biology of the Kittiwake Gull (Rissa tridactyla), J. Anim. Ecol. 35: 269–279.Google Scholar
  20. Coulson, J. C., and Wooller, R. D., 1976, Differential survival rates among breeding Kittiwake Gulls Rissa tridactyla (L.), J. Anim. Ecol. 45: 205–213.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. Cullen, E., 1957, Adaptations in the Kittiwake to cliff-nesting, Ibis 99: 275–302.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. Dingle, J. R., 1976, Technology of Mackerel Fishery, Bibliography and Survey of Literature, Information Canada, Ottawa.Google Scholar
  23. Dorward, D. F., 1962, Behaviour of boobies, Sula spp., Ibis 1036: 221–234.Google Scholar
  24. Drent, R. H., 1965, Breeding biology of the Pigeon Guillemot Cepphus columba, Ardea 53: 100–160.Google Scholar
  25. Drent, R. H., 1970, Functional aspects of incubation in the Herring Gull, in: The Herring Gull and Its Egg (G. P. Baerends and R. H. Drent, eds.), Behay. Suppl. 17: 1–132.Google Scholar
  26. Dunn, E. H., 1973, Energy allocation of nestling Double-crested Cormorants, Ph.D. Thesis, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.Google Scholar
  27. Dunn, E. H., 1975a, Growth, body components and energy content of nestling Double-crested Cormorants, Condor 77: 431–438.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  28. Dunn, E. H., 1975b, The timing of endothermy in the development of altrical birds, Condor 77: 288–293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  29. Dunn, E. H., 1976a, Development of endothermy and existence energy expenditure of nestling Double-crested Cormorants, Condor 78: 350–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  30. Dunn, E. H., 19766, The development of endothermy and existence energy expenditure in Herring Gull chicks, Condor 78: 493–498.Google Scholar
  31. Evans, R. M., 1970, Imprinting and mobility in young Ring-billed Gulls, Larus delawarensis, Anim. Behay. Monogr. 3: 193–248.Google Scholar
  32. Evans, R. M., 1977, Semi-precocial development in gulls and terns (Laridae), Proc. NE Reg. Mtg. Anim. Behay. Soc., St. John’s, Newfoundland, pp. 213–239.Google Scholar
  33. Gladstone, D., 1979, Promiscuity in monogamous colonial birds, Am. Nat. 114: 545–557.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  34. Hailman, J. P., 1967, The ontogeny of an instinct, Behay. Suppl. 15: 1–159.Google Scholar
  35. Hardy, J. W., 1957, The Least Tern in the Mississippi Valley, Publ. Mus. Mich. State Univ. Biol. Ser. 1: 1–60.Google Scholar
  36. Harris, M. P., 1966, Breeding biology of Manx Shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus), Ibis 108: 17–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  37. Harris, M. P., 1978, Supplementary feeding of young puffins Fratercula arctica, J. Anim. Ecol. 47: 15–23.Google Scholar
  38. Harris, M. P., and Plubm, W. J., 1965, Experiments on the ability of Herring Gulls Larus argentatus and Lesser Black-backed Gulls L. fuscus to raise larger than normal broods, Ibis 197: 256–257.Google Scholar
  39. Harvey, B. D., 1979, Growth, food consumption, and homeothermy of nestling Gannets (Morus bassanus), B.Sc. thesis, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton.Google Scholar
  40. Hawksley, 0., 1957, Ecology of a breeding population of Arctic Terns, Bird-Banding 28: 57–92.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  41. Haymes, G. T., and Morris, R. D., 1977, Brood size manipulations in Herring Gulls, Can. J. Zool. 55: 1762–1766.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  42. Hays, H., Dunn, E., and Poole, A., 1973, Common, Arctic, Roseate, and Sandwich Terns carrying multiple fish, Wilson Bull. 85: 233–236.Google Scholar
  43. Henderson, B. A., 1975, Role of the chicks’ begging behavior in the regulation of parental feeding behavior of Larus glaucescens, Condor 77: 488–492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  44. Howell, T. R., and Bartholomew, G. A., 1962, Temperature regulation in the Red-tailed Tropic Bird and the Red-footed Booby, Condor 64: 6–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  45. Imber, M. J., 1976, The origin of petrel stomach oils—A review, Condor 78: 366–369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  46. Impekoven, M., 1973, The response of incubating Laughing Gulls Larus atricilla to calls of hatching chicks, Behavior 46: 94–113.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  47. Impekoven, M., 1976, Prenatal parent–young interactions in birds and their long-term effects, in: Advances in the Study of Behavior (J. S. Rosenblatt, R. A. Hinde, E. Shaw, and C. G. Beer, eds.), Vol. 7, pp. 201–253, Academic Press, New York.Google Scholar
  48. Jarvis, M. J. F., 1971, Ethology and ecology of the Southern African Gannet Sula capensis, Ph.D. thesis, University of Cape Town, South Africa.Google Scholar
  49. Jarvis, M. J. F., 1974, The ecological significance of clutch size in the South African Gannet (Sula capensis Lichtenstein), J. Anim. Ecol., 43: 1–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  50. Johnson, S. R., and West, G. C., 1975, Growth and development of heat regulation in nestlings, and metabolism of adult Common and Thick-billed Murres, Ornis Scand. 6: 109–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  51. Kendeigh, S. C., 1952, Parental care of its evolution in birds, Ill. Biol. Mongr. 22: 1–356.Google Scholar
  52. Kirkham, I. R., 1977, The feeding ecology and behaviour of Ring-billed Gull (Larus dela-warensis) chicks, B.Sc. honours thesis, Brock University, St. Catharine’s, Ontario.Google Scholar
  53. Kirkham, I. R., 1980, Nestling development, energetics and parental investment in Northern Gannets (Morus bassanus), M.Sc. thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland.Google Scholar
  54. Kirkman, F. B., 1937, Bird Behaviour, T. Nelson and Sons, London.Google Scholar
  55. Lack, D., 1954, The Natural Regulation of Animal Numbers, Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
  56. Lack, D., 1966, Population Studies of Birds, Oxford University Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
  57. Lack, D., 1967, Interrelationships in breeding adaptations as shown by marine birds, Proc. Int. Ornithol. Congr. 14: 3–42.Google Scholar
  58. Lack, D., 1968, Ecological Adaptations for Breeding in Birds, Methuen, London.Google Scholar
  59. Langham, N. P. E., 1972, Chick survival in terns Sterna spp. with particular reference to the Common Tern, J. Anim. Ecol. 41: 385–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  60. Lazarus, J., and Inglis, I. R., 1978, The breeding behaviour of the Pink-footed Goose: Parental care and vigilant behaviour during the fledging period, Behaviour 65: 62–88.Google Scholar
  61. Lehrman, D. S., 1955, The physiological basis of parental feeding behaviour in the Ring Dove Streptopelia risoria, Behavior 7: 214–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  62. Lehrman, D. S., 1961, Hormonal regulation of parental behavior in birds and infrahuman mammals, in: Sex and Internal Secretions (W. C. Young, ed.), Vol. II, pp. 1268–1382, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, Md.Google Scholar
  63. Lloyd, C. S., 1978, The ability of the Razorbill Alca torda to raise an additional chick to fledging, Ornis Scand. 8: 155–159.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  64. Matthews, L. H., 1949, The origin of stomach oil in the petrel, with comparative observations on the avain proventriculus, Ibis 91: 373–393.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  65. Montevecchi, W. A., and Kirkham, I. R., 1980, Breeding success of Northern Gannets at two Newfoundland colonies, Ibis (submitted).Google Scholar
  66. Montevecchi, W. A., Kirkham, I. R., Purchase, R., and Harvey, B. D., 1980, Colonies of Northern Gannets in Newfoundland, Osprey 11: 2–8.Google Scholar
  67. Nelson, J. B., 1964, Factors influencing clutch size and chick growth in the North Atlantic Gannet Sula bassana, Ibis 106: 63–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  68. Nelson, J. B., 1967, Colonial and cliff nesting in the gannet, compared with other Sulidae and the Kittiwake, Ardea 55: 60–90.Google Scholar
  69. Nelson, J. B., 1977, Some relationships between food and breeding in the marine Pelecaniformes, in: Evolutionary Ecology ( B. Stonehouse and C. Perrins, eds.), pp. 77–87, University Park Press, London.Google Scholar
  70. Nelson, J. B., l978a, The Gannet,Buteo Books, Vermillion, North Dakota.Google Scholar
  71. Nelson, J. B., l978b, The Sulidae: Gannets and Boobies, Oxford University Press, Oxford. Nettleship, D. N., 1976, Gannets in North America: Present numbers and recent population changes, Wilson Bull. 88: 300–313.Google Scholar
  72. Nice, M. M., 1962, Development of behavior in precocial birds. Trans. Linn. Soc. N.Y. 8: 1–212.Google Scholar
  73. Nisbet, I. C. T., 1973, Courtship-feeding, egg-size and breeding success in Common Terns, Nature (London) 241: 141–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  74. Nisbet, I. C. T., 1977, Courtship-feeding and clutch size in Common Terns Sterna hirundo, in: Evolutionary Ecology ( B. Stonehouse and C. Perrins, eds.), pp. 101–109, University Park Press, London.Google Scholar
  75. Nisbet, I. C. T., Wilson, K. J., and Broad, W. A., 1978, Common Terns raise young after death of their mates, Condor 80: 106–109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  76. Orians, G. H., 1969, Age and hunting success in the Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis), Anim. Behay. 17: 316–319.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  77. Palmer, R. S., 1941, A behavior study of the Common Tern (Sterna hirundo hirundo L.), Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. 42: 1–119.Google Scholar
  78. Palmer, R. S., 1962, Handbook of North American Birds, Yale University Press, New Haven, Conn.Google Scholar
  79. Pearson, T. H., 1968, The feeding biology of seabird species breeding on the Farne Islands, Northumberland, J. Anim. Ecol. 37: 521–552.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  80. Porter, J. M., 1978, The parental time investment and feeding behaviour of the North Atlantic Gannet [Morus bassanus (L.)] at Cape St. Mary’s Newfoundland, B.Sc. honours thesis, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia.Google Scholar
  81. Poulin, J-M., 1968, Réproduction du Fou de Bassan (Sula bassana) I`Ile Bonaventure, Quebec (Perspective Écologique), M.Sc. thesis, Laval University, Quebec.Google Scholar
  82. Quine, D. A., and Cullen, J. M., 1964, The pecking response of young Arctic Terns and the adaptiveness of the “releasing mechanism,” Ibis 106: 145–173.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  83. Recher, H. R., and Recher, J. A., 1969, Comparative foraging efficiency of adult and immature Little Blue Herons (Florida caerulea), Anim. Behay. 17: 320–322.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  84. Rice, R. W., and Kenyon, K. W., 1962, Breeding cycles and behavior of Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses, Auk 79: 517–567.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  85. Richdale, L. E., 1943, The Kuoka or Diving Petrel, Trans. R. Soc. NZ 75: 42–53.Google Scholar
  86. Richdale, L. W., 1951, Sexual Behavior in Penguins, University of Kansas Press, Lawrence. Ricklefs, R. E., 1968a, Patterns of growth in birds, Ibis 110: 419–451.Google Scholar
  87. Ricklefs, R. E., 1968b, Weight recession in nestling birds, Auk 85: 30–35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  88. Ricklefs, R. E., 1973, Patterns of growth in birds. II. Growth rate and mode of development, Ibis 115: 177–201.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  89. Ricklefs, R. E., 1974, Energetics of reproduction in birds, in: Avian Energetics (R. A. Paynter, Jr., ed.), pp. 152–297, Nuttal Ornithology Club, No. 15, Cambridge, Mass.Google Scholar
  90. Ricklefs, R. E., 1977, Composition of eggs of several bird species, Auk 94: 350–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  91. Ricklefs, R. E., 1979, Patterns of growth in Birds. V. A comparative study of development in the Starling, Common Tern, and Japanese Quail, Auk 96: 10–30.Google Scholar
  92. Ricklefs, R. E., and Montevecchi, W. A., 1979, Size, organic composition and caloric content of Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) eggs, Comp. Physiol. Biochem. 64A: 161–165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  93. Ryder, J. P., 1979, Possible origins and adaptive value of female-female pairing in gulls, in: Proceedings of the Colonial Waterbird Group Meeting, 1978 (W. E. Southern, ed), University of Northern Illinois, DeKalb.Google Scholar
  94. Schreiber, R. W., 1976, Growth and development of nestling Brown Pelicans, Bird-Banding 47: 19–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  95. Sealy, S. G., 1973, Adaptive significance of post-hatching developmental patterns and growth rates in the Alcidae, Ornis Scand. 4: 113–121.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  96. Sealy, S. G., 1975, Egg size of murrelets, Condor 77: 500–501.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  97. Silver, R., 1978, The parental behavior of ring doves, Am. Sci. 66: 209–215.Google Scholar
  98. Skutch, A. F., 1975, Parent Birds and Their Young, University of Texas Press, Austin. Slater, P. J. B., 1976, Tidal rhythm in a seabird, Nature (London) 264: 636–638.Google Scholar
  99. Steen, J., and Enger, P. S., 1957, Muscular heat production in pigeons during exposure to cold, Am. J. Physiol. 191: 157–158.PubMedGoogle Scholar
  100. Tinbergen, N., and Perdeck, A. C., 1950, On the stimulus situation releasing the begging response in the newly hatched Herring Gull chick (Larus argentatus Pont.), Behaviour 3: 1–39.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  101. Tinbergen, N., and Falkus, H., 1969, Signals for Survival, Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
  102. Trivers, R. L., 1972, Parental investment and sexual selection, in: Sexual Selection and the Descent of Man 1871–1971 (B. Campbell, ed), pp. 136–179, Aldine, Chicago. Trivers, R. L., 1974, Parent-offspring conflict, Am. Zool. 14: 249–264.Google Scholar
  103. Tschanz, B., and Hirsbrunner-Scharf, M., 1975, Adaptions to colony life on cliff ledges: a comparative study of guillemot and razorbill chicks, in: Function and Evolution of Behavior ( G. P. Baerends, C. G. Beer, and A. Manning, eds.), pp. 358–380, Oxford University Press, London.Google Scholar
  104. Tuck, L. M., 1961, The Murres,Canadian Wildlife Service, Rep. Ser. No. 1.Google Scholar
  105. Tuck, L. M., and Squires, H. I., 1955, Food and feeding habits of Brunnich’s Murre (Urfa lomvia lomvia) on Akpatok Island, J. Fish. Res. Board Canada 12: 781–792.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  106. Vermeer, K., 1963, The breeding ecology of the Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens) on Mandarte Island, B.C. Occas. Pap. B.C. Prov. Mus. 13: 1–104.Google Scholar
  107. Wallman, J., Grabon, M., and Silver, R., 1979, What determines the pattern of sharing of incubation and brooding in Ring Doves ? J. Comp. Physiol. Psycho!. 93: 481–492.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  108. Warham, J., 1975, The Crested Penguins, in: The Biology of Penguins ( B. Stonehouse, ed.), pp. 189–269, MacMillan, London.Google Scholar
  109. Watson, J. B., 1908, The behavior of Noddy and Sooty Terns. Carnegie Inst. Wash. Publ. 103: 187–255.Google Scholar
  110. Weidman, R. M., and Weidman, U., 1958, An analysis of the stimulus situation releasing food-begging in the Black-headed Gull, Anim. Behay. 6: 114.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  111. West, G. C., 1965, Shivering and heat production in birds, Physiol. Zool. 38: 111–120.Google Scholar
  112. Witherby, H. F., Jourdain, F. C. R., Ticehurst, N. F., and Tucker, B. W., 1947, The Handbook of British Birds, Vol. 5, Witherby, London.Google Scholar
  113. Wodzicki, K. A., and McMeekan, C. P., 1947, The Gannet on Cape Kidnappers, Trans. R. Soc. N.Z. 76: 429–452.Google Scholar
  114. Wortis, R. P., 1969, The transition from dependent to independent feeding in the young Ring Dove, Anim. Behay. Mongr. 2: 1–54.Google Scholar

Copyright information

© Plenum Press, New York 1980

Authors and Affiliations

  • W. A. Montevecchi
    • 1
  • J. M. Porter
    • 2
  1. 1.Department of PsychologyMemorial University of NewfoundlandSt. John’s, NewfoundlandCanada
  2. 2.Department of BiologyAcadia UniversityWolfville, Nova ScotiaCanada

Personalised recommendations