Common Murre (Uria aalge)

Ainley, David G.; Nettleship, David N.; Carter, Harry R.; Storey, Anne E.

doi:10.2173/bna.commur.02

Cited by 23 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…This developmental mode involves c.a. 21 days of bi-parental care at the colony [ 24 – 25 ], followed by c.a. 2 months of male-only care at sea [ 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Variation in Parental Care Drives Sex-Specific Foraging by a Monomorphic Seabird

2015

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Evidence of sex-specific foraging in monomorphic seabirds is increasing though the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We investigate differential parental care as a mechanism for sex-specific foraging in monomorphic Common Murres (Uria aalge), where the male parent alone provisions the chick after colony departure. Using a combination of geolocation-immersion loggers and stable isotopes, we assess two hypotheses: the reproductive role specialization hypothesis and the energetic constraint hypothesis. We compare the foraging behavior of females (n = 15) and males (n = 9) during bi-parental at the colony, post-fledging male-only parental care and winter when parental care is absent. As predicted by the reproductive role specialization hypothesis, we found evidence of sex-specific foraging during post-fledging only, the stage with the greatest divergence in parental care roles. Single-parenting males spent almost twice as much time diving per day and foraged at lower quality prey patches relative to independent females. This implies a potential energetic constraint for males during the estimated 62.8 ± 8.9 days of offspring dependence at sea. Contrary to the predictions of the energetic constraint hypothesis, we found no evidence of sex-specific foraging during biparental care, suggesting that male parents did not forage for their own benefit before colony departure in anticipation of post-fledging energy constraints. We hypothesize that unpredictable prey conditions at Newfoundland colonies in recent years may limit male parental ability to allocate additional time and energy to self-feeding during biparental care, without compromising chick survival. Our findings support differential parental care as a mechanism for sex-specific foraging in monomorphic murres, and highlight the need to consider ecological context in the interpretation of sex-specific foraging behavior.

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“…This developmental mode involves c.a. 21 days of bi-parental care at the colony [ 24 – 25 ], followed by c.a. 2 months of male-only care at sea [ 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Seasonal Variation in Parental Care Drives Sex-Specific Foraging by a Monomorphic Seabird

2015

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“…Murre parents share nest attendance and chick feeding. When the chick is about three weeks old, the father leaves the colony with the chick and thereafter feeds it for several weeks at sea (recent review in Ainley, Nettleship, Carter, & Storey, 2002). Although murres typically repair with the same partner each year, we observed an 8% per year divorce rate (Moody, Wilhelm, Cameron-Macmillan, Walsh, & Storey, 2005).…”

Section: Maternal and Paternal Behaviour In Birdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social and hormonal bases of individual differences in the parental behaviour of birds and mammals.

Storey¹,

Delahunty²,

McKay³

et al. 2006

Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology / Revue canadienne

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We present an overview of research on how social experiences and hormonal responses affect individual variation in parental care of birds and mammals. The parental roles of prolactin and glucorticoids (corticosterone or cortisol) have many similarities in birds and in mammals. Prolactin may be involved in the initiation of parental interactions, with prolactin variation possibly explaining individual differences in parental decision-making. Glucocorticoid levels increase when parents have to work harder, with some individuals showing greater hormonal and behavioural responses than others. Testosterone interferes with paternal behaviour in birds, but its role is more complex and species-specific in male mammals. We examine these differences in an adaptive framework, where retaining flexibility of response has allowed individuals to respond differentially to social opportunities and environmental change.

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“…particularly high, even among long-lived seabirds. Due to their diving-adapted wings, murres have elevated flight costs associated with extremely high wing loading ( Ainley et al , 2002 ; Elliott et al , 2013 ). Murre parents take turns foraging and remaining on the cliff with their single chick and this constant chick attendance reduces the time available for foraging.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Balancing personal maintenance with parental investment in a chick-rearing seabird: physiological indicators change with foraging conditions

Storey

Ryan

Fitzsimmons

et al. 2017

Conservation Physiology

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Seabird parents use a conservative breeding strategy that favours long-term survival over intensive parental investment, particularly under harsh conditions. Here, we examine whether variation in several physiological indicators reflects the balance between parental investment and survival in common murres (Uria aalge) under a wide range of foraging conditions. Blood samples were taken from adults during mid-chick rearing from 2007 to 2014 and analysed for corticosterone (CORT, stress hormone), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BUTY, lipid metabolism reflecting ongoing mass loss), and haematocrit (reflecting blood oxygen capacity). These measures, plus body mass, were related to three levels of food availability (good, intermediate, and poor years) for capelin, the main forage fish for murres in this colony. Adult body mass and chick-feeding rates were higher in good years than in poor years and heavier murres were more likely to fledge a chick than lighter birds. Contrary to prediction, BUTY levels were higher in good years than in intermediate and poor years. Murres lose body mass just after their chicks hatch and these results for BUTY suggest that mass loss may be delayed in good years. CORT levels were higher in intermediate years than in good or poor years. Higher CORT levels in intermediate years may reflect the necessity of increasing foraging effort, whereas extra effort is not needed in good years and it is unlikely to increase foraging success in poor years. Haematocrit levels were higher in poor years than in good years, a difference that may reflect either their poorer condition or increased diving requirements when food is less available. Our long-term data set provided insight into how decisions about resource allocation under different foraging conditions are relating to physiological indicators, a relationship that is relevant to understanding how seabirds may respond to changes in marine ecosystems as ocean temperatures continue to rise.

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Common Murre (Uria aalge)

Cited by 23 publications

References 0 publications

Seasonal Variation in Parental Care Drives Sex-Specific Foraging by a Monomorphic Seabird

Seasonal Variation in Parental Care Drives Sex-Specific Foraging by a Monomorphic Seabird

Social and hormonal bases of individual differences in the parental behaviour of birds and mammals.

Balancing personal maintenance with parental investment in a chick-rearing seabird: physiological indicators change with foraging conditions

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