Factors affecting nest site selection and nesting success in the Common Eider Somateria mollissima

Robertson, Gregory J.

doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1995.tb03226.x

Cited by 43 publications

(31 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…Finally, suggested that extensive ice can form bridges between mainland areas and breeding islands, providing increased access for the mammalian predators such as Arctic fox, polar bear. For example, Robertson (1995b) found that islands further from mainland areas were less likely to be visited by foxes. In each of the above scenarios, eiders might beneWt by delaying nesting until ice conditions permit better access to food or reduce access by predators.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Does spring ice cover influence nest initiation date and clutch size in common eiders?

Chaulk

Mahoney²

2011

Polar Biol

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Understanding how environmental factors aVect ecological parameters is important to understanding and predicting impacts of environmental change. Given evidence and anticipated impacts of climate variability, this is especially true with respect to sea ice and its role in animal life history in northern regions. We examined relationships between the extent of consolidated spring ice cover (pack and landfast), nest initiation and clutch size in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) in northern Labrador, a sub-Arctic region on the east coast of Canada. Our initial prediction was that eiders would delay nesting and have smaller clutches in years with more extensive spring ice cover. Between 1998 and 2003, we surveyed coastal islands for breeding eiders and collected information on nest age and clutch size. For those years, we estimated ice cover based on Radarsat-1 images supplied by the Canadian Ice Service during the spring period (approximately June 7-12). We found that spring ice cover was a signiWcant positive predictor of nest initiation date, and the regression equation indicated that if the average extent of ice cover around nesting islands increased by 18 ha, average nesting date was delayed by approximately 1 day. Nest initiation date was a signiWcant negative predictor of clutch size, and the regression equation indicated that a 20 day delay in nesting reduced average clutch size by approximately 1 egg. However, ice cover itself was not a signiWcant predictor of clutch size. Our Wndings suggest that eiders breed when ice is present, but ice extent may negatively inXuence aspects of their breeding ecology.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Does spring ice cover influence nest initiation date and clutch size in common eiders?

Chaulk

Mahoney²

2011

Polar Biol

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“…It is likely that eiders and gulls are drawn to similar nesting islands with certain environmental characteristics such as being offshore to avoid mammalian predators (Robertson 1995;Wyman et al 2014). In Labrador, eiders show a strong preference for islands that do not trap ice in spring, and so would not be connected to mainland areas and accessible to mammalian predators (Chaulk et al 2007;Chaulk and Mahoney 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Presumably, gulls would also be attracted to nest on these islands for the same protection from mammals. A relationship between gull and eider abundance could simply be a function of island size (e.g., Robertson 1995), where a restricted number of nesting territories are possible on smaller islands. However, we found no relationship between island size and eider or gull abundance.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Common Eider and large gull and nesting associations in coastal Labrador

Robertson

Chaulk

2017

Arctic Science

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Apparent nesting associations between avian egg predators and their prey have received much interest, with gulls and waterfowl receiving considerable attention. We examined the co-occurrence of breeding large gulls (Herring Gull (Larus argentatus Pontoppidan, 1763) and Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus L., 1758)) and Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima L., 1758) along the coast of Labrador from 1998 to 2003. Nest counts for large gulls and eiders were undertaken by ground crews on 45-109 islands each year, counting 79-283 and 721-3424 nests annually, respectively. Gulls were more likely to nest on an island with nesting eiders (69.4%) than without nesting eiders (38.4%), and the probability and numbers of gulls nesting on an island increased as eider colony size increased. Large gulls were 1.76 times more likely to occupy islands that had nesting eiders in the previous year, while eiders were equally likely to colonize islands that did or did not have nesting gulls in the previous year. Eiders were no more likely to abandon islands that had nesting gulls in the previous year. In subarctic coastal landscapes, large gulls appear to preferentially nest in association with nesting eiders, while eiders appear not to avoid nesting islands based on the previous presence of large gulls.

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“…Rapid follicular growth takes about 9 days in common eiders (Robertson 1995); nearly 2 weeks can separate the recruitment of the Wrst follicle and the ovulation of the last one in a four-egg clutch. Due to ice cover, early nesting eiders at our study site are likely forced to feed about 20 km oV the nesting island while forming their Wrst egg.…”

Section: Intra-clutch Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do purely capital layers exist among flying birds? Evidence of exogenous contribution to arctic-nesting common eider eggs

et al. 2010

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The strategy of relying extensively on stored resources for reproduction has been termed capital breeding and is in contrast to income breeding, where needs of reproduction are satisfied by exogenous (dietary) resources. Most species likely fall somewhere between these two extremes, and the position of an organism along this gradient can influence several key life-history traits. Common eiders (Somateria mollissima) are the only flying birds that are still typically considered pure capital breeders, suggesting that they depend exclusively on endogenous reserves to form their eggs and incubate. We investigated the annual and seasonal variation in contributions of endogenous and exogenous resources to egg formation in eiders breeding at the East Bay colony in the Canadian Arctic. We collected prey items along with females and their eggs during various stages of breeding and used two complementary analytical approaches: body reserve dynamics and stable isotope [δ(13)C, δ(15)N] mixing models. Indices of protein reserves remained stable from pre-laying to post-laying stages, while lipid reserves declined significantly during laying. Similarly, stable isotope analyses indicated that (1) exogenous nutrients derived from marine invertebrates strongly contributed to the formation of lipid-free egg constituents, and (2) yolk lipids were constituted mostly from endogenous lipids. We also found evidence of seasonal variation in the use of body reserves, with early breeders using proportionally more exogenous proteins to form each egg than late breeders. Based on these results, we reject the hypothesis that eiders are pure capital layers. In these flying birds, the fitness costs of a strict capital breeding strategy, such as temporary loss of flight capability and limitation of clutch and egg size, may outweigh benefits such as a reduction in egg predation rate.

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Factors affecting nest site selection and nesting success in the Common Eider Somateria mollissima

Cited by 43 publications

References 32 publications

Does spring ice cover influence nest initiation date and clutch size in common eiders?

Does spring ice cover influence nest initiation date and clutch size in common eiders?

Common Eider and large gull and nesting associations in coastal Labrador

Do purely capital layers exist among flying birds? Evidence of exogenous contribution to arctic-nesting common eider eggs

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