Behavioural responses of Common Puffins to kleptoparasitism by Herring Gulls

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Rice, Jake
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1987
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; fratercula; Fratercula arctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z87-053; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z87-053

Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) varied their rates of kleptoparasitic attack depending on Common Puffin (Fratercula arctica) foraging success. Attacks were more frequent on days when many puffins brought back food. However, puffins also varied their behaviour when approaching nest sites with food, so the rate of food loss to gulls per puffin remained constant as the number of puffins with food increased. Site differences in puffin activities after landing reflected only direct consequences of puffin and gull abundances and slope topography. After chick provisioning commenced, puffins at all sites showed increased vigilance after landing and more rapid burrow entries. Behaviour of puffins when approaching the slopes showed adaptations to the presence of gulls. On days when many puffins had food, puffins in areas of high gull density swamped the kleptoparasite. On days when few had food, puffins approached the slopes much as they did before chick provisioning commenced. Hosts as well as kleptoparasites may show closely tuned adaptations to potential food supply and likelihood of attacks.