Sex-biased mortality of common terns in wind farm collisions
Stienen, E.; Courtens, W.; Everaert, J.; Van de walle, M. (2008). Sex-biased mortality of common terns in wind farm collisions. Condor 110(1): 154-157. dx.doi.org/10.1525/cond.2008.110.1.154
In: The Condor: an international journal of avian biology. Cooper Ornithological Society: Santa Clara, Calif.. ISSN 0010-5422; e-ISSN 1938-5129
We studied sex differences in collision mortality in adult Common Terns (Sterna hirundo) at a wind farm in the direct vicinity of a breeding site in Zeebrugge, Belgium in 2005-2007. In total, 64 fatalities were collected and sexed, of which 64% were males. Uneven sex ratio among these birds was most pronounced during the period of incubation and early chick feeding (15 May-15 June), when 78% of the 28mortalities were male. During prelaying and feeding of young, the sex ratio of mortalities did not differ from equality. We argue that sex-biased collision mortality in Common Terns does not result from morphological differences between the sexes, but rather reflects differences in foraging frequency between males and females during egg-laying and incubation.
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