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Moult intensity in blue petrels and a key moult site off West Antarctica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 November 2019

Peter G. Ryan Open the ORCID record for Peter G. Ryan [Opens in a new window] ,
Jasmine R. Lee Open the ORCID record for Jasmine R. Lee [Opens in a new window]  and
Fabrice Le Bouard Open the ORCID record for Fabrice Le Bouard [Opens in a new window]
Peter G. Ryan*
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch7701, South Africa
Jasmine R. Lee
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
Fabrice Le Bouard
Affiliation:
Centre d'Etude Biologiques de Chize, CNRS, 79360Villiers En Bois, France
*
pryan31@gmail.com
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Abstract

Blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea Gmelin) rapidly moult their flight feathers in Antarctic waters in February–April, immediately following the breeding season, yet the behaviour of moulting birds at sea has not been described. We observed large numbers of moulting blue petrels off West Antarctica from 67–71°S and 78–119°W in mid-February 2017. Most of these birds probably breed at the Diego Ramirez archipelago, southwest of Cape Horn, which is the closest colony to this area. Moulting petrels often sit on the water in dense flocks, just outside the marginal ice zone, at sea temperatures of -0.7 to 0.9°C. Wing moult is intense, with 7–8 inner primaries (62–75% of primary length and 55–69% of primary mass), their corresponding primary coverts and all greater secondary coverts being grown at the same time. Moulting petrels need a reliable food source during this energetically demanding period, so the waters off West Antarctica are probably crucial for the Diego Ramirez population, which makes up more than half of the world's blue petrels.

Keywords

Amundsen SeaBellinghausen SeaDiego Ramirezgreater covert moultHalobaena caeruleaprimary moult
Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 32 , Issue 1 , February 2020 , pp. 1 - 9
Copyright
Copyright © Antarctic Science Ltd 2019

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