Abstract
In the context of climate change, how extreme climatic events, such as cyclones, will affect the foraging abilities of marine vertebrates is still poorly known. During the course of a study on the foraging behaviour of two tropical seabirds, red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds, several cyclones have affected their breeding grounds and foraging zones, allowing us to study their response to extreme wind conditions. We examined whether adults and young naïve birds were able to predict the arrival of a cyclone and behave accordingly to reduce mortality risks and optimise foraging. We show that when a cyclone approached, juveniles and adults of the two species differed in their decisions to leave the colony for the sea. When the winds reached gale force, the juveniles of both species and adult frigatebirds remained at the colony, whereas adult boobies continued their foraging routine. The mortality of the individuals remaining on land remained limited. When encountering at-sea gale conditions, adult birds were able to avoid the centre of the low pressure systems and moved westward to bypass the route of the cyclones and circumvent the moving cyclone. Frigatebirds climb to high altitudes when close to the eye of the cyclone to bypass it at high speeds. These movements likely reduce the mortality risk at sea but can temporarily cause birds to move outside their normal range at sea or over land masses. We discuss the potential consequences of an increase in cyclonic conditions on seabird populations.
Highlights
During their lifetimes, animals move in time and space to forage for food, find mates, and avoid adverse conditions or predation
Birds are sensitive to wind conditions during migration or when foraging at sea, and seabirds are vulnerable to gales since they cannot find shelter when facing extreme wind conditions in the open sea[13]
In the context of future climate change and extreme climatic events, such as cyclones, it appears important to understand and predict how individuals will respond to these extreme events
Summary
Animals move in time and space to forage for food, find mates, and avoid adverse conditions or predation. Tropical cyclones are extreme climatic events that are well known for their devastating effects on terrestrial and marine ecosystems[7,8]. Future climate changes are expected to be associated with an increase in the strength of these extreme climatic events[4,11]. Our understanding of how tropical cyclones currently affect marine biodiversity, pelagic species, is limited, reducing our ability to make predictions about the future effects of this climatic phenomenon on biodiversity. Since tropical seabirds have evolved with regular encounters with cyclones during their long lifespans, it is likely that specific behaviours have been under selection to reduce the potential negative effects of cyclones when foraging at sea[16]. The results should help in the understanding of the susceptibility of these two groups of seabirds to future climate change
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
