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Seabird acoustic communication at sea: a new perspective using bio-logging devices
Andréa Thiebault1,2, Pierre Pistorius3,2, Ralf Mullers4
1Department of Zoology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, South Campus, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.
Scientific Reports
|August 6, 2016
Summary
Cape gannets use vocalizations at sea, primarily within feeding groups. These calls likely help seabirds avoid collisions while foraging in aggregations.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Animal behavior
- Bioacoustics
Background:
- Seabirds are vocal at breeding colonies for recognition and social interactions.
- Seabirds often form groups at sea to exploit patchy food resources.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether seabirds use acoustic communication while foraging at sea.
- To explore the context and potential function of vocalizations during marine foraging.
Main Methods:
- Deployed head-mounted video cameras with microphones on 36 Cape gannets.
- Recorded foraging behavior and vocal activity over approximately 42 hours during the 2010-2011 breeding season.
- Analyzed video footage for group formation and correlated vocalizations with observed behaviors.
Main Results:
- Recorded 72 vocalizations from 16 birds, exclusively in the presence of conspecifics.
- 81% of vocalizations occurred within feeding aggregations at sea.
- Observed calls associated with behaviors suggesting collision avoidance among foraging birds.
Conclusions:
- Provides evidence that Cape gannets utilize acoustic communication during marine foraging.
- Suggests a role for vocalizations in maintaining spacing and preventing collisions in foraging flocks.
- Opens new avenues for understanding seabird foraging ecology and social interactions at sea.
