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Aggression by adult South American Terns toward conspecific chicks

2009; Association of Field Ornithologists; Volume: 80; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1111/j.1557-9263.2009.00240.x

1557-9263

Lujan Villanueva-Gomila, Alejandro Gatto, Karina Cabral, Pablo Yorio,

Animal Behavior and Reproduction

Journal of Field OrnithologyVolume 80, Issue 4 p. 344-350 Aggression by adult South American Terns toward conspecific chicks Agresión intraespecífica de adultos a polluelos de Sterna hirundinacea Lujan Villanueva-Gomila, Lujan Villanueva-Gomila Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco," Boulevard Brown 3700, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, ArgentinaSearch for more papers by this authorAlejandro Gatto, Alejandro Gatto Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, ArgentinaSearch for more papers by this authorKarina Cabral, Karina Cabral Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco," Boulevard Brown 3700, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, ArgentinaSearch for more papers by this authorPablo Yorio, Corresponding Author Pablo Yorio Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Wildlife Conservation Society Argentina, Virrey del Pino N° 2632, Piso 19, Dpto. B, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]Search for more papers by this author Lujan Villanueva-Gomila, Lujan Villanueva-Gomila Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco," Boulevard Brown 3700, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, ArgentinaSearch for more papers by this authorAlejandro Gatto, Alejandro Gatto Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, ArgentinaSearch for more papers by this authorKarina Cabral, Karina Cabral Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco," Boulevard Brown 3700, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, ArgentinaSearch for more papers by this authorPablo Yorio, Corresponding Author Pablo Yorio Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Boulevard Brown 2915, (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Wildlife Conservation Society Argentina, Virrey del Pino N° 2632, Piso 19, Dpto. B, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]u.arSearch for more papers by this author First published: 25 November 2009 https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1557-9263.2009.00240.xCitations: 4Read the full textAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Abstracten ABSTRACT Infanticide and nonfatal aggression by adults toward unfamiliar chicks have been widely reported in colonial birds, and can be an important cause of chick mortality. We studied intraspecific aggression by adults toward chicks at a South American Tern (Sterna hirundinacea) colony in Patagonia, Argentina, during 2005 to characterize this behavior, evaluate its relationship with nesting density, chick age and microhabitat characteristics, and assess its effect on breeding success. Of 111 chicks in the study area, 45% were attacked at least once. Chicks older than 9 d posthatching were more likely to be attacked than younger chicks, and unattended chicks were more likely to be attacked than guarded chicks (88 vs. 12%). Chicks were also attacked more often when in their own territories (76% of cases), but were less likely to be attacked in territories with more vegetation cover and high-quality shelters (i.e., vegetation with characteristics that prevented adults from reaching chicks). The number of aggression events was not related to nest density. At least 8% of the chicks in our study area died as a result of adult intraspecific aggression. Our results indicate that intraspecific aggression by adult South American Terns toward chicks is relatively common in the Punta Loma colony and should not be underestimated as a factor affecting their breeding success. RESUMENes El infanticidio y la agresión no-fatal de adultos a pichones, que no son sus hijos, ha sido ampliamente informado en aves coloniales y puede ser una causa de mortalidad significativa. Se estudio la agresión intraespecífica de adultos a polluelos de Sterna hirundinacea en una colonia localizada en Patagonia, Argentina. El trabajo se llevó a cabo durante el 2005 para caracterizar dicha conducta, evaluar su relación con la densidad de nidos, edad de los polluelos, características del microhábitat y finalmente determinar el efecto en el éxito reproductivo. Un 45% (de 111) de los polluelos en la colonia fueron al menos atacados una vez. La proporción de ataques fue mayor en polluelos mayores a nueve días que en los de menor edad y resultó más alta en polluelos que no eran atendidos que en aquellos atendidos por adultos (88 vs 12%). La proporción de ataques fue mayor cuando los polluelos se encontraban en sus territorios (76% de los casos). El número de ataques fue menor en territorios con mayor cobertura de vegetación y en territorios con refugios de alta calidad (ej. vegetación que evitaba que un adulto alcanzara al polluelo) para los polluelos. El número de agresiones no estuvo relacionada con la densidad de los nidos. Al menos un 8% de los 111 polluelos murieron como resultado de agresiones intraespecífica. Nuestros resultados indican que la agresión intraespecífica de adultos a polluelos de es una conducta común, al menos en la colonia estudiada en Punta Loma y que no debe subestimarse como factor que afecta el éxito de anidamiento. Citing Literature Volume80, Issue4December 2009Pages 344-350 RelatedInformation