Dailynestcheckswereusedtodetermine the yellow-eyed penguin’s pattern of nest relief during incubation, and to examine the inter-pair variability in incubation period. Nests at two breeding areas on the Otago Peninsula were visited between September andDecemberin 1985 and 1986. At each visit, status of the nestand the identity and behaviour of the sitting bird was recorded. Incubation is shared between the sexes, with males tending to sit longer than females. Incubation spells ranged from 1-7 days with a mode of 1-2 days. Records of lone incubation following mate death show the yelloweyed penguin to be capable of 15 day unrelieved spells at the nest. The incubation period of the yellow-eyed penguin ranges from 39-51 days and is the most variable of all penguins. This variability is because of the failure of some individuals to adequately cover the clutch until up to 5 days after the laying of the second egg. © 1989 Crown.
CITATION STYLE
Seddon, P. (1989). Patterns of nest relief during incubation, and incubation period variability in the yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes). New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 16(3), 393–400. https://doi.org/10.1080/03014223.1989.10422905
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