The effect of frequency and nature of pedestrian approaches on the behaviour of wandering albatrosses at sub-Antarctic Marion Island

Abstract

The effects of disturbance frequency, pedestrian group size, history and approach distance were tested through standardised approaches to 148 brooding/guarding wandering albatrosses (Diomedea exulans) at Marion Island in 2006. Seldom-visited birds were approached at different frequencies over a 3-day period and chick survival was monitored 2 weeks later. Two-person approaches were made to some seldom-visited birds and to birds that have recently been bled. Birds close to the station and in a long-term study colony were also approached. non-vocal response (NVR), vocal response (VR) and overall response (OR) of individuals were analysed. Frequency of approach did not influence short-term behavioural responses, but affected chick survival significantly—nests approached most often had the highest proportion of failures. Over the long-term, there was sensitisation to disturbance. Low OR ranks were found for 71.7% of seldom-disturbed birds, 41.7% of study colony birds and 28.6% of birds close to the station. Management regulations at the island are likely to be effective in protecting this species from human disturbance.