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Content with tag seabirds .

Geographic isolation, key to the absence of parasites of avian malaria in Cory’s shearwater

The apparent scarcity or absence of blood parasites in some avian groups, such as seabirds, has been related to intrinsic and extrinsic factors including host immunological capacity, host-parasite assemblage, and ecological parameters, but also to reduced sensitivity of some methods to detect low parasite prevalence/intensities of infection. Here, the haemosporidian parasite prevalence was examined in a breeding population of a long-distance migrant seabird, nesting in the Macaronesian...

Reducing light-induced mortality of seabirds: High pressure sodium lights decrease the fatal attraction of shearwaters

The use of artificial light at night and its ecological consequences are increasing around the world. Light pollution can lead to massive mortality episodes for nocturnally active petrels, one of the most threatened avian groups. Some fledglings can be attracted or disoriented by artificial light on their first flights. Studies testing the effect of artificial light characteristics on attractiveness to seabirds have not provided conclusive results and there is some urgency as some endangered...

Individual habitat specialization of a successful species

Population expansions of successful species have gained importance as a major conservation and management concern. The success of these ‘winners’ is widely attributed to their high adaptability and behavioural plasticity, which allow them to efficiently use opportunities provided by human-modified habitats. However, the individual components within populations is critical for a better understanding of the main ecological mechanisms related to the success of winning species. Here, the spatial...

Biochemistry of the black-browed albatross on the Falkland Islands

Blood chemical reference values and variations in them in long-lived endangered birds are of metabolic, veterinary, ecological and/or taxonomic interest. In the present study, such reference values are provided and the influence of sex, age, and nest location are tested on up to 11 plasma values in nesting black-browed albatrosses (Thalassarche melanophrys) sampled in 2015 on the Falkland Islands.

Colony size and foraging range in seabirds

The reasons for variation in group size among animal species remain poorly understood. Using ‘Ashmole’s halo’ hypothesis of food depletion around colonies, authors predict that foraging range imposes a ceiling on the maximum colony size of seabird species.
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