Inferring the Wintering Distribution of the Mediterranean Populations of European Storm-Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis from Stable Isotope Analysis and Observational Field Data

Martinez, Carlos Barreira; Roscales, José L.; Sanz‐Aguilar, Ana; González‐Solís, Jacob

doi:10.13157/arla.66.1.2019.ra2

Cited by 8 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Until recently, the information available has suggested that most individuals of the Mediterranean sub-species of European Storm Petrels remain within the Mediterranean Sea basin during the non-breeding period (Lago et al 2019, Mart ınez et al 2019. During post-nuptial migration, sightings from boats at the Strait of Gibraltar were mainly of individuals moving east entering the Mediterranean, with only < 20 % leaving it (Hashmi & Fliege 1994).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Additionally, isotopic differences in the feathers of individuals from both sub‐species suggest that those from the Mediterranean sub‐species remained in the Mediterranean Sea basin, at least during the moulting period (Martínez et al . 2019). Also, the low number of individuals ringed in the Mediterranean Sea basin and recaptured/recovered in areas throughout the Atlantic Ocean (Matović et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, the migratory patterns and non‐breeding distribution of this sub‐species are based only on stable isotope analyses of feathers of birds not tracked with geolocator (Martínez et al . 2019) and geolocation data from a single population at Filfla Islet, Malta (Lago et al . 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Non‐breeding distribution and at‐sea activity patterns of the smallest European seabird, the European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)

Militão

Sanz‐Aguilar

Rotger

et al. 2022

Ibis

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Determining the non-breeding distribution and activity patterns of migratory animals is essential to understand the trade-offs across breeding, moulting and migratory periods and to evaluate the differential levels of exposure of these animals to threats throughout the year. By taking advantage of the current miniaturization of geolocators, during the breeding season of 2019, we deployed geolocators on 10 European Storm Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus breeding on Benidorm Island, Western Mediterranean, to determine the distribution and activity patterns of this small seabird species. Of the eight individuals that were recaptured with usable geolocation data, all individuals migrated to the North Atlantic Ocean, ranging between the Canary Islands and south of Iceland. They possibly take advantage of the more productive waters in the North Atlantic areas explored during the non-breeding period compared with the Western Mediterranean areas explored during the breeding period. This migratory pattern contrasted with the partial migration described for individuals breeding in the Central Mediterranean. Tracked individuals were more synchronous in their prenuptial than in their postnuptial migratory phenology, probably due to a higher probability of breeding success related to earlier arrival to the breeding area. At-sea activity data indicated that individuals spent more time on the water at night (and especially on those nights around the new moon) during the first half of the non-breeding period (matching the dates of the moulting period of the species). Although birds may begin to moult their feathers while breeding, some seemed to overlap the moulting period with the postnuptial migration. Our results show that multicolony studies are needed to understand the drivers of distinct migratory patterns at intra-and inter-population levels and how small migratory species trade-off the overlap of moult with other energetically demanding activities such as breeding or migrating.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Non‐breeding distribution and at‐sea activity patterns of the smallest European seabird, the European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)

Militão

Sanz‐Aguilar

Rotger

et al. 2022

Ibis

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“…A study based on stable δ 13 C and δ 15 N isotopes suggests that ESP from different Atlantic breeding colonies share moulting grounds as feathers grown during their non-breeding periods had similar stable isotope compositions. Contrastingly, feathers grown during their breeding periods had different stable isotope signatures [ 47 ]. A study on GLS-tracked LSP from Canadian colonies revealed that they moult in several geographically distinct areas [ 16 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Birds of a feather moult together: Differences in moulting distribution of four species of storm-petrels

et al. 2021

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The non-breeding period of pelagic seabirds, and particularly the moulting stage, is an important, but understudied part of their annual cycle as they are hardly accessible outside of the breeding period. Knowledge about the moulting ecology of seabirds is important to understand the challenges they face outside and within the breeding season. Here, we combined stable carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) signatures of rectrices grown during the non-breeding period of two pairs of storm-petrel species breeding in the northern (European storm-petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus, ESP; Leach’s storm-petrel, Hydrobates leucorhous, LSP) and southern (black-bellied storm-petrel, Fregetta tropica, BBSP; Wilson’s storm-petrel, Oceanites oceanicus, WSP) hemispheres to determine differences in moulting ranges within and between species. To understand clustering patterns in δ13C and δ18O moulting signatures, we examined various variables: species, sexes, years, morphologies (feather growth rate, body mass, tarsus length, wing length) and δ15N. We found that different factors could explain the differences within and between the four species. We additionally employed a geographical distribution prediction model based on oceanic δ13C and δ18O isoscapes, combined with chlorophyll-a concentrations and observational data to predict potential moulting areas of the sampled feather type. The northern species were predicted to moult in temperate and tropical Atlantic zones. BBSP was predicted to moult on the southern hemisphere north of the Southern Ocean, while WSP was predicted to moult further North, including in the Arctic and northern Pacific. While moulting distribution can only be estimated on large geographical scales using δ13C and δ18O, validating predictive outcomes with food availability proxies and observational data may provide valuable insights into important moulting grounds. Establishing those, in turn, is important for conservation management of elusive pelagic seabirds.

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“…This study is the first to compare differences in expected feather growth rates between similar species breeding in both hemispheres. Due to their small size and pelagic life-style the non-breeding period of storm-petrels can be hard to study but thanks to recent developments in technology specific migration routes of some species are being discovered (Pollet et al., 2014; Halpin et al., 2018; Martínez et al., 2019; Lago, Austad & Metzger, 2019). Our study adds to the understanding of storm-petrel migratory, moulting and breeding strategies by giving some, admittedly indirect, insights into their energy management.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in tail feather growth rate in storm-petrels breeding in the Northern and Southern hemisphere: a ptilochronological approach

Ausems

Wojczulanis‐Jakubas

Jakubas

2019

PeerJ

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Moulting and breeding are costly stages in the avian annual cycle and may impose trade-offs in energy allocation between both stages or in their timing. Here, we compared feather growth rates (FGR) of rectrices in adults between two pairs of small pelagic Procellariiformes species differing in moult-breeding strategies: the European storm-petrel Hydrobates pelagicus and Leach’s storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa breeding in the Northern Hemisphere (Faroe Islands), showing moult-breeding overlap in tail feathers; and the Wilson’s storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus and black-bellied storm-petrel Fregetta tropica, breeding in the Southern Hemisphere (South Shetlands), temporally separating moult and breeding. We used ptilochronology (i.e., feather growth bar width) to reconstruct FGR reflecting relative energy availability during moult. Based on previous research, we expected positive correlations between feather length (FL) and FGR. Additionally, we expected to find differences in FGR relative to FL between the moult-breeding strategies, where a relatively higher FGR to FL indicates a higher energy availability for moult. To investigate if energy availability during moult in the studied species is similar to species from other avian orders, we used FGR and FL found in literature (n = 164) and this study. We fitted a phylogenetic generalized least squares (PGLS) model to FGR with FL, group (i.e., Procellariiformes vs. non-Procellariiformes) and the interaction FL * group as predictors. As it has been suggested that Procellariiformes may form two growth bars per 24 h, we fitted the same model but with doubled FGR for Procellariiformes (PGLSadj). The group term was significant in the PGLS model, but was not in the PGLSadj model, confirming this suggestion. Individually predicted FGR by the PGLSadj model based on FL, showed that the Southern species have a significantly higher FGR relative to FL compared to the Northern species. Additionally, we found no correlation between FL and FGR in the Northern species, and a positive correlation between FL and FGR in the Southern species, suggesting differences in the trade-off between feather growth and size between species from both hemispheres. The observed differences between the Northern and Southern species may be caused by different moult-breeding strategies. The Southern species may have had more energy available for moult as they are free from breeding duties during moult, while the Northern species may have had less free energy due to a trade-off in energy allocation between breeding and moulting. Our study shows how different moult-breeding strategies may affect relative nutritional condition or energy allocation during moult of migratory pelagic seabirds.

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Inferring the Wintering Distribution of the Mediterranean Populations of European Storm-Petrels Hydrobates pelagicus melitensis from Stable Isotope Analysis and Observational Field Data

Abstract: BioOne Complete (complete.BioOne.org) is a full-text database of 200 subscribed and open-access titles in the biological, ecological, and environmental sciences published by nonprofit societies, associations, museums, institutions, and presses.

Cited by 8 publications

References 38 publications

Non‐breeding distribution and at‐sea activity patterns of the smallest European seabird, the European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)

Non‐breeding distribution and at‐sea activity patterns of the smallest European seabird, the European Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus)

Birds of a feather moult together: Differences in moulting distribution of four species of storm-petrels

Differences in tail feather growth rate in storm-petrels breeding in the Northern and Southern hemisphere: a ptilochronological approach

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