ARCTIC King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) Nesting in Association with Long-tailed Skua (Stercorarius longicaudus)

• Main Authors: Sven Blomqvist, Magnus Elander
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1987
• Subjects: Fabricius; 1937; von Haartman; Bergman; 1939; and; Arctic; Greenland; King Eider; Long-tailed Skua; Somateria spectabilis; Stercorarius longicaudus
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.553.5455; http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/arctic41-2-138.pdf

ABSTRACT. In High Arctic Northeast Greenland King Eiders (Somuteria spscfabilis) were found nesting in association with solitarily breeding Long-tailed Skuas (Stercorarius longicaudus). The association is demonstrated using spatial statistics analyses and timing of clutch initiations. Long-tailed Skuas ' nests were evenly spaced in the 6.1 k m 2 census area, whereas nine out of ten King Eider nests were located close to five different nests of Long-tailed Skua. It is suggested that the association may be a state of commensalism.