Reduction of Provisioning Effort in Response to Experimental Manipulation of Chick Nutritional Status in the Horned Puffin
Harding AM, Van Pelt TI, Piatt JF, Kitaysky AS. 2002. Reduction of Provisioning Effort in Response to Experimental Manipulation of Chick Nutritional Status in the Horned Puffin. The Condor. 104(4):842-847
Using a supplemental feeding experiment, we investigated the ability of adult Horned Puffins to decrease provisioning effort in response to reduced nutritional requirements of chicks. We found no difference between experimental and control groups in parental provisioning before supplementary feeding was initiated. After receiving supplemental food for seven days, experimental chicks grew faster, gained more mass and received 87% less food from their parents than did control chicks. These results demonstrate that Horned Puf- fin parents can decrease food provisioning in response to a decrease in their chick nutritional requirements. Key words: Fratercula corniculata, Horned Puffin, nutritional status, regulation of food provisioning, reproductive effort, seabirds.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Harding, Ann; Van Pelt, Thomas; Piatt, John; Kitaysky, Alexander
- Units
- GLBA
- Keywords
- Birds/Ornithology, Coastal/Marine Systems, nutrition (puffin), puffins, Seabirds