A new biologging approach reveals unique flightless molt strategies of Atlantic puffins

Abstract

Animal‐borne telemetry devices provide essential insights into the life‐history strategies of far‐ranging species and allow us to understand how they interact with their environment. Many species in the seabird family Alcidae undergo a synchronous molt of all primary flight feathers during the non‐breeding season, making them flightless and more susceptible to environmental stressors, including severe storms and prey shortages. However, the timing and location of molt remain largely unknown, with most information coming from studies on birds killed by storms or shot by hunters for food. Using light‐level geolocators with saltwater immersion loggers, we develop a method for determining flightless periods in the context of the annual cycle. Four Atlantic puffins ( Fratercula arctica ) were equipped with geolocator/immersion loggers on each leg to attempt to overcome issues of leg tucking in plumage while sitting on the water, which confounds the interpretation of logger data. Light‐level and saltwater immersion time‐series data were combined to correct for this issue. This approach was adapted and applied to 40 puffins equipped with the standard practice deployments of geolocators on one leg only. Flightless periods consistent with molt were identified in the dual‐equipped birds, whereas molt identification in single‐equipped birds was less effective and definitive and should be treated with caution. Within the dual‐equipped sample, we present evidence for two flightless molt periods per non‐breeding season in two puffins that undertook more extensive migrations (>2000 km) and were flightless for up to 77 days in a single non‐breeding season. A biannual flight feather molt is highly unusual among non‐passerine birds and may be unique to birds that undergo catastrophic molt, i.e., become flightless when molting. Although our conclusions are based on a small sample, we have established a freely available methodological framework for future investigation of the molt patterns of this and other seabird species.

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“…The almost flightless period observed for both birds in October and November may be to do with moult, and is consistent with our (incomplete) knowledge of the .ming of moult in adult birds (Harris et al 2014;Darby et al 2022).…”

“…There is much less leg tucking during day.me, so it is possible to use this measure of dry .me as a proxy for .me in flight. This is supported by the fact that the propor.ons of flight .me calculated here match those calculated in adults using GPS (Global Posi.oning System) devices (Fayet et al 2021) or using a dual tagging method with one geolocator on each leg (Darby et al 2022). Nevertheless, our method may not remove all instances of leg tucking during day.me, so our calcula.ons of flight .me may s.ll be overes.mates (Darby et al 2022).…”

“…Post-fledging Puffin movements data were also used to calculate the .me spent in flight each day, combining methods from Fayet et al (2016) and Darby et al (2022). This was es.mated as the total .me spent dry during day.me, excluding (1) measurements of .me spent dry but with reduced light levels, and (2) measures either side of these, as they are most likely an indica.on of leg-tucking behaviour.…”

Migratory Movements and Activity Patterns of White-Faced Storm-Petrels Pelagodroma marina Breeding in Cabo Verde

“…Moult and migration have traditionally been thought to be incompatible (Payne, 1972), not only because of the higher energetic costs of feather synthesis but also due to the increased energetic flight costs of having wing gaps during moult (Lindström et al ., 1994; Hedenström & Sunada, 1999). It is widely known that long-distance migratory seabirds can postpone or suspend their moult until they reach their non-breeding areas, where birds moult and then spend more time in the water (Ramos et al ., 2009; Darby et al ., 2022). Our results show increased flying time during migration, probably because they fly steadily until they reach the non-breeding areas.…”