Prolongedforaging trips and egg desertion in little penguins (Eudyptula minor)

Abstract

Penguins share incubation duties between the male and female of a pair. The one left onthe nest must fast while its partner is foragingat sea. Nest attendance patterns during the incubation period reflect the way time is allocated between the conflicting demands of incubation and foraging. We conducted daily nest checks for little penguins (Eudyptula minor) at two localities in New Zealand (Motuara Island in the Marlborough Sounds and Oamaru, Otago) in the 1998/99 breeding season and found significant variation innest attendance between the two areas. Penguins breeding at Motuara Island made significantly longer foraging trips and were in poorer body condition than those breeding at Oamaru. Foraging trip durations were significantly correlated with the body condition of birds at both areas: the poorer the condition, the longer the foraging trip durations. The increased risk of egg desertionobserved at Motuara Island is probably a consequence of the prolonged foraging trips that limit the time available for incubation. © 2000 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.