Colonial breeding reduces nest predation in the common gull (Larus canus) |
| |
Authors: | Frank Götmark Malte Andersson |
| |
Institution: | Department of Zoology, University of Gothenburg, Box 25059, S-400 31 Gothenburg, Sweden |
| |
Abstract: | It is often suggested that colonial breeding reduces nest predation for birds with a high defence capacity, but experimental comparison of predation at solitary and colonial nests is seldom feasible within a single species. We here report on such a test in the common gull (Larus canus). The rate of predation on experimental eggs was significantly lower near colonies than near solitary gull nests, and the eggs survived longer at the edge of a colony than farther away. Communal mobbing of nest predators is the likely reason. In both of two years, almost all nests of solitary gulls were destroyed by predators, while most clutches survived in colonies. Nest predation hence selects strongly for colonial breeding in the present population of common gulls. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect 等数据库收录! |
|