Effects of food availability on fledging condition and post-fledging survival in king penguin chicks

Olsson, Olof. 1997 Effects of food availability on fledging condition and post-fledging survival in king penguin chicks. Polar Biology, 18 (3). 161-165. 10.1007/s003000050172

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Abstract/Summary

Effects of summer food shortage on king penguin Aptenodytes patagonicus chicks were studied at South Georgia. Two cohorts were compared, fledging in the austral summers of 1992 (n = 32) and 1994 (n = 33) when availability of food was judged good and poor, respectively. The former cohort had a higher pre-fledging mean mass (12.78 kg vs ≤ 10.03 kg), fledged earlier (median 5 January vs 21 January), and a higher proportion was re-sighted within 2 years of fledging (28% vs 0%). Within 4 years, 47% of the former cohort had been re-sighted (i.e. post-fledge survival); in addition, one was observed at the Falkland Islands, and 22% had bred (i.e. recruitment) in their colony of origin. The re-sighted chicks of the 1992 cohort fledged earlier than those not re-sighted (median 24 December vs 10 January), but it remain unclear if they were heavier at fledging. All chicks in this study (n = 65) were marked with both transponders (subcutaneously implanted) and flipper bands (on one flipper), and no losses of any markings were found (controlled up to 4 years afterwards). Therefore, data on chick post-fledging survival and recruitment were not adjusted for losses of markings, as has been done in other studies.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1007/s003000050172
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme
ISSN:	0722-4060
Date made live:	27 Sep 2016 10:50 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/514615

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