Yelkouan shearwater nest-cavity selection and breeding success

Abstract

We describe, for the first time, nest-cavities selected by the Mediterranean endemic yelkouan shearwater Puffinus yelkouan on French islands, comparing it with the sympatric Cory's shearwater Calonectris diomedea. By monitoring 179 suitable cavities during four years, we show that yelkouan shearwaters select deeper cavities and with more winding tunnels than those selected by Cory's shearwaters or unoccupied cavities. Logistic regression modelling indicates that cavities with nest-like characteristics are not limited. We show that breeding success is enhanced in deeper cavities, with winding tunnels and higher block covers. We do not find any apparent competition between the two shearwater species. To cite this article: K. Bourgeois, É. Vidal, C. R. Biologies 330 (2007).