Glowing in the light: fluorescence of bill plates in the Crested Auklet (<i>Aethia cristatella</i>)

Wails, Christy N.; Gruber, Eva D.; Slattery, Ethan; Smith, Lucy Toulmin; Major, Heather L.

doi:10.1676/1559-4491-129.1.155

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Least and crested auklets often nest in mixed species colonies (Jones 1993a), where crested auklets are aggressive toward the smaller least auklet and can displace them from nesting crevices and specific rocks used for socialization (Knudtson and Byrd 1982). From our observations, least auklets are better camouflaged on unvegetated areas; they also lack fluorescence found in crested auklets (Wails et al 2017), which could affect vulnerability to avian predators, such as the glaucous-winged gull (Larus glaucescens) while socializing at the colony. Thus, it may be that least auklets are those most likely to rapidly colonize unvegetated, blocky, porous lava, with crested auklets arriving somewhat later, perhaps attracted to the location by the actions of least auklets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Habitat modification as a means of restoring crested auklet colonies

Major¹,

Buxton

Schacter³

et al. 2016

J Wildl Manag

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Seabirds that forage in dense groups can be especially vulnerable to anthropogenic threats at sea. To mitigate these threats to populations, nesting habitat restoration may be a viable option by reducing negative density dependence. Accordingly, we undertook a before‐after control‐impact (BACI) experiment to test whether habitat modification could be an effective means of restoring nesting habitat of crested auklets (Aethia cristatella) breeding on Gareloi Island, Alaska, USA. Despite supporting large numbers of crevice‐nesting auklets, many lava flows at Gareloi Island are in a stage of late vegetative succession that may prevent birds from accessing subterranean nesting habitat. We hypothesized that crested auklet density is highest in unvegetated blocky and porous lava, and predicted that removing vegetation from the surface would allow new recruits to secure previously unavailable nesting sites. In 2009 and 2010, we delineated 34 200‐m2 plots throughout the southeast colony at Gareloi, and color marked a subset of crested auklets landing in each plot to measure movement and abundance. We removed vegetative overgrowth and peat from half of each plot at the end of the 2009 (4 plots) and 2010 (30 plots) breeding seasons. Before and after vegetation removal, we counted the number of active nesting sites and calculated the ratio of banded to un‐banded breeders on the surface of each plot half. Overall, active nesting sites, number of individuals on the surface, and number of breeders landing did not increase after vegetation removal. However, among banded individuals that moved among plot halves, birds were 1.7 times more likely to move to a de‐vegetated plot half. Based on our experimental results, we found no evidence that vegetation removal increased crested auklet numbers at Gareloi Island, and thus in the short term this may not be a viable option for increasing crested auklet abundance. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Habitat modification as a means of restoring crested auklet colonies

Major¹,

Buxton

Schacter³

et al. 2016

J Wildl Manag

Self Cite

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“…In contrast, several recent papers either imply or ascribe a visual function based on conditions 1 and 2 alone, without a quantitative evaluation of fluorescence contribution (Sparks et al, 2014;Gruber et al, 2016;Wails et al, 2017). The lack of quantitative support does not mean there is not a visual function in these cases, just that it is premature to suggest that there is without also considering the possibility that the fluorescence may be a non-functional epiphenomenon.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

Method for Determining the Contribution of Fluorescence to an Optical Signature, with Implications for Postulating a Visual Function

Mazel¹

2017

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…Despite this uncertainty, we suggest that ornamental fluorescence in Rhinoceros Auklets may aid in reproductive signalling, as has been proposed for other members of the subfamily (Wails et al . ). Previous investigations into the determinant factors affecting Rhinoceros Auklet ornament growth suggest that horn size may serve as different signals depending upon sex (Sorensen et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Indeed, recent investigations have found fluorescent properties in the bill plates of multiple auk species when exposed to ultraviolet light, namely the Crested Auklet Aethia cristatella (Wails et al . ) and Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica (Dunning et al . ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fluorescent ornamentation in the Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata

Wilkinson

Johns

Warzybok

2019

Ibis

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Avian species have developed a range of markers for transmitting information, among them ornamented plumage, behavioural patterns and conspicuous bill structures. Members of the marine subfamily Fraterculinae have some of the most visibly noticeable ornaments among seabirds, and some species have been recently found to possess fluorescent properties in seasonally acquired bill plates. We examined a member of this subfamily, the Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata, for fluorescence in the upper and lower mandibles as well as the namesake horn grown in preparation for mate selection. Fluorescence was noted primarily in the horn of adults, with greater variation present among individuals than between the sexes.

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Glowing in the light: fluorescence of bill plates in the Crested Auklet (Aethia cristatella)

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Habitat modification as a means of restoring crested auklet colonies

Habitat modification as a means of restoring crested auklet colonies

Method for Determining the Contribution of Fluorescence to an Optical Signature, with Implications for Postulating a Visual Function

Fluorescent ornamentation in the Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata

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