Contrasting foraging tactics by northern gannets (Sula bassana) breeding in different oceanographic domains with different prey fields

Garthe, Stefan; Montevecchi, William A.; Chapdelaine, Gilles; Rail, Jean‐François; Hedd, April

doi:10.1007/s00227-006-0523-x

Cited by 81 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In an ongoing multiyear and multicolony study of seabird foraging ecology, Garthe et al (2007a) demonstrated significant inter-colony differences in foraging ranges and diving behavior by northern gannets from colonies in different oceanographic regimes with different prey fields. The seabirds used different tactics to provision offspring with different prey.…”

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“…The seabirds used different tactics to provision offspring with different prey. Garthe et al (2007a) hypothesized that the inter-colony differences were related to the different ocean conditions and prey availability around the colonies. However the two colonies compared also had about a five-fold difference in population size, and significantly longer foraging ranges were associated with the larger colony.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Northern gannets exhibit great flexibility both in the species and sizes of prey consumed and in foraging trip durations, ranges, and total distances traveled (Garthe et al 2007a;Hamer et al 2007;Montevecchi 2008). In a study in the North Sea, Hamer et al (2007) showed that adults were able to exploit prey resources over very large foraging areas and also exhibited marked annual variation in trip durations, foraging ranges, and total distances traveled.…”

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“…The longest trip performed was in the year when the abundance of 0-group sandeels, their staple food over several years, was an order of magnitude lower in abundance than in the other 2 yr studied. Prey distribution and abundance is a plausible explanation for the inter-and intra-colony differences (Lewis et al 2003;Garthe et al 2007a). It is important in this context to consider that birds from larger colonies would need to select higher quality prey items to compensate for longer foraging trips and lower parental provisioning rates due to any colony size effect (Lewis et al 2003).…”

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“…From observations on contrasting diets and prey availability, we predicted inter-annual differences in (1) diving behavior, (2) spatial patterns in foraging flights and foraging range, and (3) foraging trip duration. We evaluate these predictions on the basis of the data presented here and findings from other recent studies (Lewis et al 2001;Garthe et al 2007a;Hamer et al 2007) to assess how differences in prey base independent of colony size can influence spatial and temporal foraging patterns.…”

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Inter‐annual changes in prey fields trigger different foraging tactics in a large marine predator

Garthe¹,

Montevecchi

Davoren

2011

Limnology & Oceanography

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We report on inter-annual comparisons of the foraging behavior of Global Positioning System-equipped chick-rearing northern gannets (Morus bassanus) in the western Atlantic during years with contrasting oceanographic and prey conditions. We hypothesized that the predators would modify their foraging tactics when small fishes (capelin [Mallotus villosus]) and large pelagic fishes (mackerel, saury) varied in inter-annual abundances. We predicted differences in (1) diving behavior, (2) spatial, and (3) temporal patterning of foraging behavior. Predictions 1 and 2 were supported, prediction 3 rejected. Dives were significantly deeper (4.3 6 0.4 vs. 2.7 6 0.3 m) and longer (10.1 6 1.0 vs. 5.0 6 0.2 s), and more U-shaped dives (dives where birds stayed at more or less one depth) were performed (52% 6 7% vs. 7% 6 2%) in the year with higher abundance of forage fishes. Flight patterns exhibited remarkable spatial and geographic differences: gannets flew significantly (17%) more and foraging ranges were about twice as long when they pursued large pelagic fishes (mean 5 122 6 81 km vs. 62 6 12 km). The 95% kernel feeding range was 34 times larger when large pelagic fishes were available. Yet foraging trip durations were not different between years. Inter-annual variation in foraging tactics by the same species at the same colony in successive years was strongly related to prey availability, showing that spatial foraging parameters can be determined largely by ocean and prey conditions.

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Inter‐annual changes in prey fields trigger different foraging tactics in a large marine predator

Garthe¹,

Montevecchi

Davoren

2011

Limnology & Oceanography

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Taking movement data to new depths: Inferring prey availability and patch profitability from seabird foraging behavior

Chimienti

Cornulier

Owen

et al. 2017

Ecology and Evolution

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Detailed information acquired using tracking technology has the potential to provide accurate pictures of the types of movements and behaviors performed by animals. To date, such data have not been widely exploited to provide inferred information about the foraging habitat. We collected data using multiple sensors (GPS, time depth recorders, and accelerometers) from two species of diving seabirds, razorbills (Alca torda, N = 5, from Fair Isle, UK) and common guillemots (Uria aalge, N = 2 from Fair Isle and N = 2 from Colonsay, UK). We used a clustering algorithm to identify pursuit and catching events and the time spent pursuing and catching underwater, which we then used as indicators for inferring prey encounters throughout the water column and responses to changes in prey availability of the areas visited at two levels: individual dives and groups of dives. For each individual dive (N = 661 for guillemots, 6214 for razorbills), we modeled the number of pursuit and catching events, in relation to dive depth, duration, and type of dive performed (benthic vs. pelagic). For groups of dives (N = 58 for guillemots, 156 for razorbills), we modeled the total time spent pursuing and catching in relation to time spent underwater. Razorbills performed only pelagic dives, most likely exploiting prey available at shallow depths as indicated by the vertical distribution of pursuit and catching events. In contrast, guillemots were more flexible in their behavior, switching between benthic and pelagic dives. Capture attempt rates indicated that they were exploiting deep prey aggregations. The study highlights how novel analysis of movement data can give new insights into how animals exploit food patches, offering a unique opportunity to comprehend the behavioral ecology behind different movement patterns and understand how animals might respond to changes in prey distributions.

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Avian Resources of the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Burger¹

2017

Habitats and Biota of the Gulf of Mexico: Before the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

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Contrasting foraging tactics by northern gannets (Sula bassana) breeding in different oceanographic domains with different prey fields

Cited by 81 publications

References 25 publications

Inter‐annual changes in prey fields trigger different foraging tactics in a large marine predator

Inter‐annual changes in prey fields trigger different foraging tactics in a large marine predator

Taking movement data to new depths: Inferring prey availability and patch profitability from seabird foraging behavior

Avian Resources of the Northern Gulf of Mexico

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