Gull Predation and Creching Behaviour in the Common Eider

Munro, J. A.; Bédard, Jean

doi:10.2307/3641

Cited by 71 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Gorman and Milne 1972;Munro and Bedard 1977;Schmutz et al 1983;Bustnes and Erikstad 1991;Ö st et al 2002). All these aspects of parental care may be related to high risk of predation by avian predators for eider offspring.…”

Section: Causes Of Decreasing Nest Predation Over the Laying Sequencementioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive tactics under severe egg predation: an eider’s dilemma

Andersson

Waldeck

2006

Oecologia

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Parental defence against predators may increase offspring survival but entail other costs. Egg predation is frequent early in the laying sequence of the common eider, which differs in this and in several other ways from most other waterfowl. We test the hypothesis that permanent presence at the nest from the second or third egg is an adaptation for reducing egg predation in eiders. Two other alternative hypotheses for lower predation at later nest stages are early predation loss of the most vulnerable nests and seasonal decrease in predation risk. Analyses of predation rates at the one-egg and later stages refute these two alternatives. Early nest attendance by eider females is estimated to increase clutch survival by about 20% in four-egg and 35% in five-egg clutches, albeit probably at a cost of smaller clutch size.

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Section: Causes Of Decreasing Nest Predation Over the Laying Sequencementioning

confidence: 99%

Reproductive tactics under severe egg predation: an eider’s dilemma

Andersson

Waldeck

2006

Oecologia

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“…During the breeding season, gulls often prey upon eider eggs and chicks (Munro and Bédard, 1977;Swennen, 1989;Mehlum, 1991;Robertson and Cooke, 1993) and steal food items brought to the surface by foraging adult eiders (Schenkeveld and Ydenberg, 1985). A decline in these food resources may have resulted in the starvation of chicks during the summer.…”

Section: Population Trends Of Gullsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Population Trends of Gulls and Arctic Terns Nesting in the Belcher Islands, Nunavut

Gilchrist¹,

Robertson²

1999

ARCTIC

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ABSTRACT. Little information exists on the population trends of gulls and terns nesting in the Arctic. In 1997, we surveyed the number of glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), herring gull (Larus argentatus), and arctic tern (Sterna paradisaea) nests on the Belcher Islands (56˚00' -57˚30'N, 79˚30' -80˚00'W). We compared our results with the mean number of nests per island counted in the Belcher Islands in the late 1980s using the same survey methods. The mean number of gull nests per island had declined in all five archipelagos surveyed, and the decline was significant in three regions. The number of arctic tern nests had also declined in all three regions where they were originally present, although this decline was significant in only one region. The causes of these apparent declines are unknown. Adult mortality or emigration of gulls from the area may have occurred in response to changes in polynya formation during recent winters, which restricted access to marine food sources. Reproductive success of gulls may also be low in response to the recent 75% decline in common eiders nesting in the Belcher Islands. Eider eggs and ducklings are an important food source for gulls during the breeding season. The decline of nesting arctic terns may reflect either winter mortality of tern populations caused by unknown factors or emigration out of the Belcher Islands in response to regional egging and disturbance by local residents.Key words: arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea, Belcher Islands, glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus, herring gull, Larus argentatus, polynyas, population trends RÉSUMÉ. Il existe peu de renseignements sur les tendances dans les changements de population des mouettes et sternes qui nichent dans l'Arctique. En 1997, on a établi un relevé des nids du goéland bourgmestre (Larus hyperboreus), du goéland argenté (Larus argentatus) et de la sterne arctique (Sterna paradisaea) dans les îles Belcher (56˚ 00' -57˚ 30' de latit. N., 79˚ 30' -80˚ 00' de longit. O.). Nous avons comparé nos résultats avec le nombre moyen de nids par île comptés dans les îles Belcher à la fin des années 1980, en employant les mêmes méthodes de relevés. Le nombre moyen de nids de goélands par île a baissé dans les cinq archipels étudiés, et la baisse s'est révélée importante dans trois régions. Le nombre de nids de sternes arctiques avait également baissé dans les trois régions où elles étaient présentes à l'origine, bien que ce déclin ne fût important que dans une seule région. On ne connaît pas les causes de ces baisses apparentes. La mortalité adulte ou l'émigration des goélands de cette zone aurait pu se produire en réponse aux changements survenus dans la formation de la polynie au cours des derniers hivers -changements qui auraient limité l'accès aux aliments venant de la mer. Le succès de reproduction du goéland pourrait aussi être bas suite au déclin récent de 75 p. cent chez l'eider à duvet qui niche dans les îles Belcher. Les oeufs d'eider et les oisons constituent une importante source alimentaire pour les goélands durant la ...

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“…(Long 1970, Bengtson 1972, Newton and Capbe11 1975 (Odin 1957, Choate 1967, Vermeer 1968, Dwernychuk and 80ag 1972, Bourget 1973, Munro and Bedard 1977. On is 1 ands in Penobscot Bay Maine, Bouget (1973) fo~d greater than two thirds of the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) eggs and young lost to predation ~ were attributed to Greater Black-backed and Herrlng Gulls nestlng with the eiders.…”

Section: Abs'fractmentioning

confidence: 99%

Costs and benefits to Red-breasted Mergansers nesting in tern and gull colonies

Young¹,

Titman²

1986

Can. J. Zool.

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The costs and benefits to Red-breasted Mergansers (Mergus serrator) nesting in a Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) colony and a Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) and Great Black-backed Gull (L. marinus) colony were studied from 5 June to 17 August 1984 on islands off the east coast of New Brunswick. Merganser nests outside larid colonies were preyed upon significantly more than nests in the tern colony while no difference was found with nests in the gull colony. Nests in the tern colony were more densely concentrated and more likely to be abandoned. Clumped nests in the tern colony were not initiated in greater synchrony than dispersed nests. The merganser–gull nesting association is discussed. We postulate that the protective benefit for merganser nests in tern colonies accounts for the evolution of the nesting association.

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Gull Predation and Creching Behaviour in the Common Eider

Cited by 71 publications

References 6 publications

Reproductive tactics under severe egg predation: an eider’s dilemma

Reproductive tactics under severe egg predation: an eider’s dilemma

Population Trends of Gulls and Arctic Terns Nesting in the Belcher Islands, Nunavut

Costs and benefits to Red-breasted Mergansers nesting in tern and gull colonies

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