The importance of preening behaviour in the at-sea time budget of Australasian gannets
In: Emu: journal of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. CSIRO Publishing (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization): Melbourne. ISSN 0158-4197; e-ISSN 1448-5540, more
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| Author keywords |
Preening; gannet; seabird; time-budget; energy-budget; bio logging;activity budgets |
| Authors | | Top |
- Fauchet, L.
- Cansse, T., more
- Arnould, J.P.Y.
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| Abstract |
Feathers play an important role in many aspects of avian ecology, including sexual selection, thermoregulation and flight. However, several external stressors can negatively impact plumage condition. Birds preen their feathers to maintain feather integrity throughout the year. For seabirds, preening is especially important to ensure waterproofing of the plumage. However, due to the difficulty of observing seabirds at sea, little is known of the time and energy expended in preening and how this may impact other activities in these species. In the present study, bird-borne video and tri-axial accelerometer data loggers were used to investigate preening in Australasian Gannets (Morus serrator) from two colonies in south-eastern Australia. Gannets spend a substantial proportion of their time at sea preening (25.5 ± 1.7%). No significant differences in preening activity were observed between the 3 years of study or between colonies. Average Vectorial Dynamic Body Acceleration (VeDBA, a proxy for energy expenditure) was significantly higher during preening (0.34 ± 0.02 g) than resting (0.25 ± 0.02 g), but less than for flying or foraging. These results highlight the importance of preening in terms of time and energy in this species. Furthermore, a positive relationship between the number of dives and at-sea preening suggests a negative impact of diving on plumage integrity and, thus, a potential additional time and energy constraint during periods of reduced food availability. |
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