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Artificial burrows as a tool for long-term studies of diving petrels

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Abstract

Long-term studies are essential to determine demographic parameters and population trends in seabirds. However, studies to date have focused mainly on the larger and accessible species. While small seabirds (< 200 g) play a major role in marine ecosystems, their nesting habitat, which is typically fragile convoluted burrows, largely preclude long-term surveys. This study evaluated the installation of artificial burrows as a tool to facilitate ongoing long-term research on small burrowing seabirds. We tested the use and acceptance of artificial burrows during the chick-rearing period of common diving petrels (Pelecanoides urinatrix) on Mayes Island, Kerguelen Archipelago, southern Indian Ocean. The growth rate, mass at fledging and fledging rate of chicks were similar between artificial and natural burrows. Similarly, there was no difference in occupancy rate 1 and 2 years after artificial burrows were installed. The installation of artificial burrows during the chick-rearing period of a small burrowing seabird appears to be an effective way to facilitate ongoing monitoring and research and, therefore, we recommend the wider use of artificial burrows to facilitate monitoring and research of other small burrow-nesting procellariiform species.

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Acknowledgements

This study was funded by the French Polar Institute IPEV (Program IPEV 394 (resp. C.A Bost) & 109 (resp. H. Weimerskirch)), the latest being in charge of the long–term demographic research on Mayes Island. We thank the IPEV logistic staff (Y. Le Meur, N. Marchand, R. Bellec, and the Geners of the 66–67-68 missions on Kerguelen) for their support. We also warmly thank P. Denis who built the artificial burrows, and C. Barbraud and H. Weimerskirch for their useful comments of an early version of this article and statistical analysis. We acknowledge the pioneering development of artificial burrows for petrel conservation by Graeme Taylor, Helen Gummer and colleagues in New Zealand, used as the starting point for our burrow design.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UMR 7273, CEBC, CNRS - Université de La Rochelle, 79360, Villiers en Bois, France

    Aymeric. Fromant & C.-A. Bost

  2. School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia

    Aymeric. Fromant & J. P. Y. Arnould

  3. Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, PO Box 467, Wellington, 6140, New Zealand

    C. M. Miskelly

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  1. Aymeric. Fromant
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Contributions

Study design: A.F., C.B., C.M.M. Data collection: A.F. Data analysis and processing: A.F. Writing: A.F., C.B., C.M.M, J.P.Y.A. All authors edited and revised the manuscript, gave final approval for publication and agreed to be held accountable for the content therein.

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Correspondence to Aymeric. Fromant.

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Ethical approval

The study was in agreement with the ethical standards on animal experimentation in the Terres Australes et Antarctiques Françaises. It was fully approved by the French ethics committee for animal experimentation in the reserve of the French Southern and Antarctic lands.

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Fromant, A., Miskelly, C.M., Arnould, J.P.Y. et al. Artificial burrows as a tool for long-term studies of diving petrels. Polar Biol 43, 435–442 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-020-02645-y

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