Springer-VerlagTokyo101640289-07711439-544430524811Journal of EthologyJ Ethol010610.1007/s10164-003-0106-y Reproductive investment and parental roles in Sabine’s gulls Xema sabini ARTICLE
Abstract More than 90 % of avian species exhibit biparen-tal care, though parental activities are often shared unequally between the members of a pair. Among gull spe-cies (Laridae), males and females generally share parental activities, although there appear to be considerable differ-ences between...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.505.174 http://play.psych.mun.ca/~mont/pubs/reproductive.pdf |
| Summary: | Abstract More than 90 % of avian species exhibit biparen-tal care, though parental activities are often shared unequally between the members of a pair. Among gull spe-cies (Laridae), males and females generally share parental activities, although there appear to be considerable differ-ences between species in the relative contribution of each sex. This study examined the behaviour of male and female Sabine’s gulls (Xema sabini) during the incubation period and immediately post-hatch; particularly the amount of time they each invested in breeding activities. Although considered an aberrant species in aspects of behaviour and biology, the Sabine’s gull showed a high reproductive investment by both sexes, as other gull species do. Males fed females prior to egg laying and contributed equally to incu-bation and chick provisioning, and females contributed equally to nest defence. Overall, there was no difference between the sexes in the extent of their contributions to parental care, although there was considerable individual variation within pairs. Sabine’s gulls are Arctic breeders and the extent of their contributions to parental activities could have been influenced by their extreme breeding environ-ment and short breeding season. Key words Arctic · Breeding behaviour · Parental roles · Reproductive investment · Sabine’s gull · Xema sabini |
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