Presentation Details
| Animal-borne biologgers reveal importance of aerial capture of flying fish by red-footed boobies. Abigail Schiffmiller1, Hillary S Young2, Scott A Shaffer3, Greg A Breed1. 1University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.2University of California Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, California, USA.3San Jose State University, San Jose, California, USA |
Abstract
Triaxial accelerometers collect fine-scale behavior data in free living species, including seabirds. However, to identify the unique accelerometry signatures of various behaviors, simultaneous observation by another method is necessary. Here, we paired animal-borne video and accelerometry data to show that aerial prey capture attempts (hawking) account for a far greater proportion (~20%) of a plunge-diving seabird’s (red footed boobies; Sula sula) foraging effort than previously known. The contribution of this tactic has been missed by previous accelerometry-based studies of red footed boobies (and possibly other seabirds) as its signature has not previously been identified. Accelerometry-derived energetic costs of hawking attempts indicate this tactic is far less energetically expensive than plunge dives, as takeoffs after plunging are costly. Consequently, hawking has a disproportionate effect on the foraging efficiency of red footed boobies. Importantly, this foraging tactic is only possible when marine-predators (i.e. tuna) elicit the evasive flight response of flying fish and squid, and thus this facilitation interaction may be key to efficient tropical seabird foraging.
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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
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