Reproductive Performance, Recruitment and Survival of Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans at Bird Island, South Georgia

Croxall, J. P.; Rothery, P.; Pickering, S. P. C.; Prince, P. A.

doi:10.2307/4895

Cited by 213 publications

(117 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…This contrasts with the study of wandering albatrosses at Bird Island, South Georgia, where Croxall et al (1992) found that egg size varied significantly between years, and increased over the last 10 years of the study. However, such changes in egg size could reflect the contemporaneous decrease in recruitment into this population documented by Croxall et al (1990), with the smaller proportion of younger females in the breeding population leading to an increase in mean egg size.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in the size of Buller's albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) eggs

Sagar¹,

Unwin²,

Stahl³

et al. 2005

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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The effect of minimum maternal experience, individual and year on egg size variation, breeding success and sex of the surviving chick were investigated in Buller's albatrosses (Thalassarche bulleri) breeding at the Snares Islands. Minimum maternal experience and individual effects were studied over the 9 years 1996-2004, while a second set of data allowed inter-annual variation in egg size to be investigated over 4 additional years (1961, 1969, 1970, and 1993). Egg length, breadth, volume and eccentricity did not vary between years, but all four variables varied significantly between individuals. The size of eggs laid by one individual varied less than the variation across the population as a whole. Egg volume increased with minimum maternal breeding experience, mainly because eggs became broader but not longer, up to the fourth breeding attempt. There was a weak positive relationship Z04044; Online publication date 4 August 2005 Received 22 December 2004 accepted 31 March 2005 between egg size and breeding success, but this correlation was confounded by maternal breeding experience. Breeding success decreased markedly among birds with >20 years breeding experience. There was no relationship between egg size and the sex of the resulting chick. The significant effects of minimum breeding experience and individual on egg size appear to be typical of seabirds. However, unlike other studies of egg size in albatrosses, we did not detect any between-year effects, perhaps because the experience of the breeding population changed little during the study period.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variation in the size of Buller's albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) eggs

Sagar¹,

Unwin²,

Stahl³

et al. 2005

New Zealand Journal of Zoology

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“…Croxall et al 1990;Weimerskirch 1992;Elliott & Walker 2005). reported a 28% decrease in the Tristan albatross population over 46 years and their population model identified low chick survival as a significant driver.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Can predation by invasive mice drive seabird extinctions?

Angel²,

et al. 2007

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The house mouse, Mus musculus , is one of the most widespread and well-studied invasive mammals on islands. It was thought to pose little risk to seabirds, but video evidence from Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean shows house mice killing chicks of two IUCN-listed seabird species. Mouse-induced mortality in 2004 was a significant cause of extremely poor breeding success for Tristan albatrosses, Diomedea dabbenena (0.27 fledglings/pair), and Atlantic petrels, Pterodroma incerta (0.33). Population models show that these levels of predation are sufficient to cause population decreases. Unlike many other islands, mice are the only introduced mammals on Gough Island. However, restoration programmes to eradicate rats and other introduced mammals from islands are increasing the number of islands where mice are the sole alien mammals. If these mouse populations are released from the ecological effects of predators and competitors, they too may become predatory on seabird chicks.

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“…Breeding success is much lower than that of Diomedea spp. albatrosses breeding at predator-free locations (Croxall et al 1990, Weimerskirch 1992, Tickell 2000, Nel et al 2003. The majority of breeding failures occur during the chick-rearing period and are assumed to be largely due to predation by introduced house mice (Wanless et al 2007).…”

Section: Gough Island (40°82' S 9°85' W) Is a Unesco World Heritagementioning

confidence: 99%

Trends and tactics of mouse predation on Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena chicks at Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean

Davies¹,

Dilley²,

Bond

et al. 2015

ACE

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ABSTRACT. The critically endangered Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena breeds almost exclusively on Gough Island, in the central South Atlantic, where breeding success is much lower than other great albatrosses (Diomedea spp.) worldwide. Most breeding failures occur during the chick-rearing stage, when other great albatrosses suffer few failures. This unusual pattern of breeding failure is assumed to be largely due to predation by introduced house mice Mus musculus, but there have been few direct observations of mouse attacks. We closely monitored the fates of 20 chicks in the Gonydale study colony (123 chicks in 2014) using motion-activated cameras to determine the causes of chick mortality. Only 5 of 20 chicks survived to fledge, and of the 15 failures, 14 (93%) were due to mouse predation. One mouse-wounded chick was killed by a Southern Giant Petrel Macronectes giganteus; the rest died outright from their wounds within 3.9 ± 1.2 days of the first attack. Despite this high impact, most chicks were attacked by only 1-2 mice at once (maximum 9). The remaining 103 chicks in the study colony were checked less frequently, but the timing of failures was broadly similar to the 20 closely monitored nests, and the presence of mouse wounds on other chicks strongly suggests that mice were responsible for most chick deaths. Breeding success in the Gonydale study colony averages 28% from 2001 to 2014; far lower than the normal range of breeding success of Diomedea species occurring on islands free from introduced predators. Island-wide breeding success fell below 10% for the first time in 2014, making it even more urgent to eradicate mice from Gough Island. Tendances et tactiques de prédation par des souris sur les poussins d'Albatros de TristanDiomedea dabbenena à l'île Gough, océan Atlantique Sud RÉSUMÉ. L'Albatros de Tristan Diomedea dabbenena, espèce en danger critique d'extinction, se reproduit presque exclusivement sur l'île Gough dans l'océan Atlantique Sud, où son succès de reproduction est très faible comparativement à celui des autres grands albatros (Diomedea spp.) dans le monde. La majorité des échecs de reproduction surviennent durant l'élevage des oisillons, alors qu'il y a peu d'échecs de ce type chez les autres grands albatros. On pense que cette tendance inhabituelle d'échec de la reproduction est presque exclusivement attribuable à la prédation par la souris commune Mus musculus, espèce introduite, bien qu'il y ait eu peu d'observations directes d'attaques par celle-ci. Nous avons surveillé de près le destin de 20 poussins dans la colonie de Gonydale (123 poussins en 2014) au moyen de caméras à détection de mouvement afin de déterminer les causes de mortalité. Seuls 5 des 20 poussins ont survécu jusqu'à l'envol, et des 15 échecs, 14 (93 %) ont été causés par prédation de souris. Un poussin blessé par une souris a été tué par un Pétrel géant Macronectes giganteus; les autres poussins sont à l'évidence morts à la suite de leurs blessures en dedans de 3,9 ± 1,2 jours de la première attaque par les souris....

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Reproductive Performance, Recruitment and Survival of Wandering Albatrosses Diomedea exulans at Bird Island, South Georgia

Cited by 213 publications

References 14 publications

Variation in the size of Buller's albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) eggs

Variation in the size of Buller's albatross (Thalassarche bulleri) eggs

Can predation by invasive mice drive seabird extinctions?

Trends and tactics of mouse predation on Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena chicks at Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean

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