Breeding biology of Black-fronted Terns (<i>Sterna albostriata</i>) and the effects of predation

Keedwell, Rachel J.

doi:10.1071/mu04010

Cited by 9 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This is the first study where the nesting success of blackfronted terns and causes of nest failure were investigated in a lowland river and nesting success of colonies on cleared and vegetated islands was compared. Overall, we found hatching success to be similarly low as in the upper river systems and nest failure mostly caused by predation (Keedwell 2005;Cruz et al 2013;Bell 2017). In upland rivers, mammals have been reported as the primary nest predator (Keedwell 2005;Cruz et al 2013;Bell 2017).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…Overall, we found hatching success to be similarly low as in the upper river systems and nest failure mostly caused by predation (Keedwell 2005;Cruz et al 2013;Bell 2017). In upland rivers, mammals have been reported as the primary nest predator (Keedwell 2005;Cruz et al 2013;Bell 2017). On the Wairau River, also a lowland river, Australasian harriers caused more than half of the 19 videoed nest failures (Steffens et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

“…The colonial nesting habit also makes black-fronted terns more vulnerable to localised events, e.g. catastrophic failure of nests often occurs due to flooding of a whole colony site or predation events of a few nests can lead to abandonment of the entire colony (Keedwell 2005;O'Donnell et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Localised, intensive predator control on the Ōhau River successfully protected a single site (Anderson 2014). However, this level of localised control cannot be applied to most rivers because black-fronted tern colony locations generally vary depending on the availability of habitat at different sites (Keedwell 2005;O'Donnell et al 2016). One study on the Tekapo River (Maloney et al 1999), and anecdotal evidence from the Eglinton and lower Waitaki Rivers, have shown that black-fronted terns respond to vegetation clearance by using the resulting bare gravel for roosting and nesting.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…They form loose breeding colonies sometimes re-using the same breeding site in catchments (Keedwell 2005;Bell 2017). Similar to other marsh terns (genus Chlidonias), they specialise on using unstable and ephemeral breeding habitat, and are able to respond to changes in the environment quickly (Higgins & Davies 1996).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Clearing islands as refugia for black-fronted tern (Chlidonias albostriatus) breeding colonies in braided rivers

Schlesselmann¹,

O’Donnell²,

Monks³

et al. 2018

NZ J Ecol

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Black-fronted terns/tarapirohe (Chlidonias albostriatus) are highly adapted to nesting on clear shingle areas of the braided rivers in the South Island, New Zealand. They are nationally and internationally classified as 'Endangered'. Ongoing threats, primarily an interaction of predation and habitat degradation or loss, have resulted in population decline. Conservation management in the form of control of introduced mammalian predators has proven partially successful. Using the lower Waitaki River as a case study, we cleared vegetation from seven islands creating potential refugia from mammalian predators and providing high quality bare gravel breeding habitat. We: (1) determined the mammalian predators present on river banks, vegetated islands and cleared islands; (2) assessed the nesting success of black-fronted terns and primary causes of nest failure; (3) identified the predator species at nests using remote cameras; and (4) compared the nesting success on cleared and vegetated islands. Fewer mammalian predators were detected on islands compared to adjacent riverbanks: mustelids (Mustela spp.) occurred on approximately half of the vegetated islands, but only mice (Mus musculus) were detected once on one of the cleared islands. Black-fronted terns established three colonies on islands immediately after the clearing of vegetation, but nesting success in the lower Waitaki River was low overall (50.5% to 56.4% of nests contained at least one egg that hatched) and the primary cause of nest failure was predation before and after clearing islands. The main predators of nests (62.5% of predation events) were southern black-backed gulls (Larus dominicanus). There was no overall difference in nesting successes of colonies between cleared and vegetated islands, presumably because gulls depredated tern eggs irrespective of vegetation cover around target nests. Nesting success depended on the timing and size of the colony, with earlier established nests and nests in larger colonies being more successful. Artificially created nesting habitat can play a critical role for conservation, particularly on lowland rivers in New Zealand, and we recommend control of avian predators be considered.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Clearing islands as refugia for black-fronted tern (Chlidonias albostriatus) breeding colonies in braided rivers

Schlesselmann¹,

O’Donnell²,

Monks³

et al. 2018

NZ J Ecol

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Adult and pre-breeding survival estimates of the Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding in southern Poland

Ledwoń

Neubauer

Betleja³

2013

J Ornithol

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We present the first-ever survival estimates of the Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida, based on the analysis of capture-recapture data (403 adults and 1,484 chicks ringed) collected between 1993 and 2011 in an increasing breeding population in southern Poland. Data were modelled using multistate models with an unobservable state, accounting for the period during which young terns remain at their winter quarters. Model-averaged prebreeding and breeding survival were estimated to be 0.54 [standard error (SE) 0.28] and 0.80 (SE = 0.05), respectively. All models were in agreement that the relative proportion of breeders was nearly zero in the second calendar year, increasing to reach values close to 0.8 in the fifth calendar year, which confirms the observation of a much delayed maturation of the Whiskered Tern. Our data indicate that most Whiskered Tern start to breed about 1 year earlier than members of genera Sterna and Onychoprion. However, the precision of the estimates for the parameter describing the transition probability from the unobservable pre-breeding to the observable breeding state was extremely poor; therefore, these estimates should be treated as tentative until more data are collected. The three best-supported models indicated significant annual variation in recapture probability. The results also suggested that forced exchange of breeding colonies is frequent in the study area; consequently, a large proportion of birds ringed as chicks are breeding in colonies other than their respective natal colony. This exchange is best explained not by the trapping and ringing activity but by human management of the environment, such as water level changes in dam reservoirs and carp Cyprinus carpio farming at fish ponds, both of which result in breeding habitats becoming unstable and periodically unavailable, possibly forcing birds to change breeding sites.Keywords Whiskered Tern Á Chlidonias hybrida Á Capture-mark-recapture modelling Á Apparent survival Á Age at first breeding Á Fidelity Á Bird trapping

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Breeding of the Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) in New Zealand

O’Donnell¹

2011

Emu - Austral Ornithology

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Breeding biology of Black-fronted Terns (Sterna albostriata) and the effects of predation

Cited by 9 publications

References 19 publications

Clearing islands as refugia for black-fronted tern (Chlidonias albostriatus) breeding colonies in braided rivers

Clearing islands as refugia for black-fronted tern (Chlidonias albostriatus) breeding colonies in braided rivers

Adult and pre-breeding survival estimates of the Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida breeding in southern Poland

Breeding of the Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus) in New Zealand

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