Different tactics, one goal: initial reproductive investments of males and females in a small Arctic seabird

• Published in: Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
• Main Authors: Wojczulanis-Jakubas, Katarzyna, Jakubas, Dariusz, Chastel, Olivier
• Other Authors: Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdańsk (UG), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Université de La Rochelle (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2014
• Subjects: Extra-pair copulations; Alle alle; Pre-laying parental investments; Corticosterone; Little auk (dovekie); [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Arctic; Hornsund; Dovekie; little auk; Spitsbergen
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01075746; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-014-1761-4

International audience Despite a great number of studies on extra-pair paternity in birds, the actual roles of males and females in extra-pair contacts is poorly understood, as detailed behavioural studies comparing the reproductive performance of the two sexes prior to egg laying are relatively scarce. Here, we investigated mating behaviour (copulations and aggressive interactions), time budget and body condition (size-adjusted body mass and baseline corticosterone level) in the little auk (Alle alle), a monogamous and highly colonial, Arctic seabird. We performed the study in a large breeding colony of the little auk in Hornsund (Spitsbergen). We found that the males frequently attempted extra-pair copulations (EPCs), although these contacts were almost always unsuccessful, mostly because of the females’ rejection behaviour. These results clearly indicate that genetic monogamy is maintained through female control. Nevertheless, males tried to protect their paternity by staying in close proximity to their females and aggressively intervening when their mates became involved in EPCs. Compared to females, males also spent more time in the colony guarding nest sites. Despite the apparent sex differences in the time budget and frequency of aggressive interactions, body condition was similar in the two sexes, indicating comparable parental investments during the mating period.