Foraging Ranges and Partitioning of Feeding Zones in Three Species of Southern Albatrosses

Foraging ranges and zones of breeding Black-browed (Diomedea melanophris), Gray-headed (D. chrysostoma), and Wandering (D. exulans) albatrosses were studied in the southwest Indian Ocean, using individuals color-marked at the Kerguelen Islands. Black-browed Albatrosses forage mainly over the surroun...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:The Condor (Los Angeles, Calif.) Calif.), 1988-02, Vol.90 (1), p.214-219
Main Authors: Weimerskirch, Henri, Bartle, John Alexander, Jouventin, Pierre, Stahl, Jean Claude
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animal and plant ecology
Animal, plant and microbial ecology
Animals
Autoecology
Aves
Aviculture
Biological and medical sciences
Bird nesting
Breeding
Breeding seasons
Chicks
Diomedea chrysostoma
Diomedea exulans
Forage
Foraging
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Marine
Oceans
Sea birds
Sea water
Vertebrata
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Summary:Foraging ranges and zones of breeding Black-browed (Diomedea melanophris), Gray-headed (D. chrysostoma), and Wandering (D. exulans) albatrosses were studied in the southwest Indian Ocean, using individuals color-marked at the Kerguelen Islands. Black-browed Albatrosses forage mainly over the surrounding continental shelf and had a maximum foraging range of 470 km; Gray-headed and Wandering albatrosses foraged over pelagic waters up to 1,850 km and 1,420 km respectively from their nest. Black-browed Albatrosses breeding at two Kerguelen colonies appeared to have essentially separate foraging zones but overlap occurred in an area where trawlers provided an additional food source. Our findings support the hypothesis that separation of feeding zones is an extensive means of resource partitioning in albatross communities and populations.
ISSN:0010-5422
1938-5129
DOI:10.2307/1368450