Philopatry, Site Tenacity, Mate Fidelity, and Adult Survival in Sabine's Gulls

• Published in: The Condor
• Main Authors: Stenhouse, Iain J., Robertson, Gregory J.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford University Press (OUP) 2005
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Arctic; Nunavut; Sabine's Gull; Southampton Island; Xema sabini
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/condor/107.2.416; http://academic.oup.com/condor/article-pdf/107/2/416/29713237/condor0416.pdf

Abstract Quantifying the dynamics of populations is fundamental to understanding life-history strategies, and essential for population modeling and conservation biology. Few details of the demography and life history of the Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) are known. Uniquely color banded Sabine's Gulls breeding in East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut, in the eastern Canadian Arctic, were examined from 1998–2002 to quantify vital rates. Generally, birds banded as chicks first returned to the breeding area in their third year, and the earliest case of first breeding was confirmed at three years of age. Sabine's Gull pairs showed strong tenacity to their breeding site from year to year, with most pairs nesting within approximately 100 m of the previous year's site, regardless of nest success. Individuals also showed strong year-to-year fidelity to their mates. However, birds whose previous partner failed to return, or returned late, were quick to remate. On rare occasions, birds were not seen in the study area in a particular year, but seen again in later years, either because they were missed, had dispersed temporarily outside the study area, or did not return to the breeding area in some years. Standard Capture-Mark-Recapture analyses were used to calculate local resighting and survival rates. Local annual survival rate of adult Sabine's Gulls was 0.89 ± 0.03, similar to annual adult survival estimates recently reported for other small to medium-sized gulls and terns. Filopatría, Apego al Sitio de Nidificación, Fidelidad a la Pareja y Supervivencia de los Adultos en Xema sabini Resumen. Cuantificar la dinámica de las poblaciones es fundamental para entender las estrategias de historia de vida y es esencial para la realización de modelos poblacionales y para la conservación biológica. Se conocen pocos detalles sobre la demografía e historia de vida de la gaviota Xema sabini. Para cuantificar sus tasas vitales, en este estudio se examinaron gaviotas anilladas que estaban criando en East Bay, Southampton Island, ...