Mobile Incubation in Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata): Associated Hatching Failure and Artificial Mitigation

Avian Conservation and Ecology

Kathryn P Huyvaert,¹  Jill A Awkerman,²  David J Anderson,² 

[1] Colorado State University;Wake Forest University

关键词: egg movement;    waved albatross;    Pheobastria irrorata;    reproductive success;    egg adoption;    management;    egg incubation;   

DOI  :  10.5751/ACE-00009-010102

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Resilience Alliance Publications

【 摘 要 】

Waved albatrosses often relocate their eggs during incubation by placing the egg between the tarsi and shuffling forward. This behavior frequently results in eggs becoming lodged between rocks, accounting for at least 10%, and perhaps as much as 80%, of breeding failures. Because albatross populations worldwide are currently threatened, artificial means of augmenting reproductive success may be necessary to mitigate losses caused by anthropogenic effects. We characterize the frequency and extent of egg movement; test several hypotheses related to microhabitat, timing, and incubation location to explain the behavior; and investigate the utility of repositioning lodged eggs in a location in which breeding birds might resume incubation.Egg rescue increased both the likelihood of continued incubation as well as the hatching rate in our experiment, and provides an efficient, low-cost management option for this species.

【 授权许可】

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