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Sexual segregation in tropical seabirds: drivers of sex-specific foraging in the Brown Booby Sula leucogaster

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Abstract

Sexual segregation in the behaviour, morphology or physiology of breeding seabirds can be related to divergent parental roles, foraging niche partitioning or sex-specific nutritional requirements. Here, we combine GPS tracking, dietary and nutritional analysis to investigate sex-specific foraging of Brown Boobies breeding on Raine Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We observed sex-specific segregation in: (1) foraging location: females undertook longer trips, foraging at more distant locations than males; (2) foraging time: male activity and foraging occurred throughout the day, while female activity and foraging increased from midday to an afternoon peak; and (3) prey type, females mostly consumed flying fish, whereas males consumed equal proportions of flying fish and squid. Brown Booby diets contained five tropical prey species that significantly differed in their nutritional composition (Protein, Lipid and Water, wet mass). Despite this variation we found no differences in the overall nutritional content of prey caught by each sex. The observed sex-specific differences in prey type, location and time of capture are likely driven by a combination of a division of labour, risk partitioning and competition. However, Brown Boobies breeding on Raine Island, and other populations, might flexibly partition foraging niches by sex in response to varying competitive and environmental pressures. In light of such potential foraging dynamism, our inconclusive exploration of nutritional segregation between sexes warrants further investigation in the species.

Zusammenfassung

Sexuelle Segregation bei tropischen Seevögeln: Einflussfaktoren geschlechtsspezifischer Nahrungssuche bei Weißbauchtölpeln Sula leucogaster Sexuelle Segregation in Verhalten, Morphologie oder Physiologie brütender Seevögel kann mit unterschiedlichen Elternrollen, Nahrungsnischendifferenzierung oder geschlechtsspezifischem Nährstoffbedarf zusammenhängen. Hier kombinieren wir GPS-Ortung mit Nahrungs- und Nährstoffanalysen, um die geschlechtsspezifische Nahrungssuche bei auf Raine Island im australischen Great Barrier Reef brütenden Weißbauchtölpeln zu untersuchen. Wir haben geschlechtsspezifische Segregation gefunden in Bezug auf (a) den Ort der Nahrungssuche: Weibchen unternahmen längere Suchflüge als Männchen, da sie an weiter entfernten Orten nach Nahrung suchten; (b) den Zeitpunkt der Nahrungssuche: Männchen waren den ganzen Tag über aktiv und suchten nach Nahrung, während bei Weibchen die Aktivität und Nahrungssuche von mittags an zunahmen und am Nachmittag ihren Höhepunkt erreichten; (c) Beutetyp: Weibchen fraßen hauptsächlich fliegende Fische, während Männchen zu gleichen Teilen fliegende Fische und Kalmare verzehrten. Die Weißbauchtölpel nutzten fünf tropische Beutearten, die sich signifikant in ihrer Nährstoffzusammensetzung (Proteine, Lipide und Wasser in der Feuchtmasse) unterschieden. Trotz dieser Variation fanden wir keine Unterschiede im Gesamtnährstoffgehalt der von männlichen und weiblichen Tölpeln gefangenen Beute. Die beobachteten geschlechtsspezifischen Unterschiede im Beutetyp sowie Ort und Zeitpunkt des Beutefangs kommen wahrscheinlich durch eine Kombination von Arbeitsteilung, Risikoaufteilung und Konkurrenz zustande. Bei den auf Raine Island sowie in anderen Populationen brütenden Weißbauchtölpeln könnten die Geschlechter die Nahrungsnische flexibel unter sich aufteilen, abhängig von wechselnden Konkurrenz- und Umweltdrücken. Angesichts von solchem potenziellen Nahrungsdynamismus rechtfertigt unsere nicht beweiskräftige Erforschung der geschlechtsspezifischen Nahrungssegregation weitere Untersuchungen an Weißbauchtölpeln.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Damon Shearer, Andrew Dunstan and crew of the QPWS Reef Ranger for transport, accommodation and logistical support on and off of Raine Island. We also thank two anonymous reviewers, whose comments significantly improved the manuscript. This research was funded by the Australian Research Council (ARC) LP 0562157, the Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility (MTSRF), the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) and National Environmental Research Program (NERP). Fieldwork procedures were authorised under James Cook University Ethics Approval A1992. GEMC is supported by the Loxton research fellowship from The University of Sydney.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Science and Engineering and Centre for Tropical Environmental and Sustainability Science, James Cook University, Cairns, Australia

    Mark G. R. Miller & Bradley C. Congdon

  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Fabiola R. O. Silva & Gabriel E. Machovsky-Capuska

  3. Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia

    Gabriel E. Machovsky-Capuska

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  1. Mark G. R. Miller
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  2. Fabiola R. O. Silva
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  3. Gabriel E. Machovsky-Capuska
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  4. Bradley C. Congdon
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Correspondence to Mark G. R. Miller.

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Communicated by C. Barbraud.

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Miller, M.G.R., Silva, F.R.O., Machovsky-Capuska, G.E. et al. Sexual segregation in tropical seabirds: drivers of sex-specific foraging in the Brown Booby Sula leucogaster . J Ornithol 159, 425–437 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10336-017-1512-1

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