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| Atlantic puffins interact with close neighbours but maintain strong bonds with distant individuals. |
| Antoine Morel, Pierre-Paul Bitton. Department of Psychology, Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada |
Research on insects, mammals and birds has argued that social information could optimize foraging behaviour, reduce predation, and improve offspring survival, particularly when resources are unusually scarce. Many seabirds live in high-density colonies where social information is likely to play ecological roles. However, no studies have yet investigated how spatial distribution affects network structures. In this study, we looked at how the social network of Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica) is affected by distance between nests. We conducted 200 hours of behavioural observations on 124 colour-banded adults captured in a 15x15-meter area on Great Island, Newfoundland. Associations between individuals were evaluated through social network analysis and complemented with high-resolution GPS coordinates of the individuals’ burrow location. Our results demonstrate that most relationships are formed by relatively closely nesting individuals. However, some strong dyads exist between distantly nesting individuals reflecting that association is not only related to geographical position. |