Reproductive performance of the eastern Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis
Schreiber RW. 1979. Reproductive performance of the eastern Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis. Contributions in Science. 317
Data collected during eight breeding seasons, 1969-1976, on the reproductive biology of the Brown Pelicans (Pelecanus occidentalis) nesting on Tarpon Key, Pinellas County, west coast of Florida are presented. Human disturbance bias is discussed in relation to clutch size, hatching success, and fledging success, and data are presented showing that visits by scientific investigators can influence the results obtained. Seasonal differences in reproductive parameters are considered and late nests are shown to be less successful than earlier attemps. Year to year fluctuations in productivity characterize this colony, and by comparison to the published literature, are shown to be usual for this species. Data on production calculated by five different monitoring methods are compared. The prospect of deriving a precise figure for reproductive performance is discussed and a recruitment standard, based on extensive field data, of 0.9-1.0 young per breeding pair is suggested for this species. Abstract provided by author.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Schreiber, Ralph
- Date of Issue
- 1979-12-31
- Units
- BUIS
- Keywords
- Animal Behavior, animal development, Bird, Brown pelican, Clutch, Human Impact, Nesting Success, Nests, Pelecanus occidentalis, Production, Reproduction