Fratercula Arctica Research Articles

Functional morphology and adaptive features of the jaw apparatus in puffins (Fraterculini, Alcidae, and Charadriiformes)

Comparative descriptions and drawings of the jaw apparatus of the genera Fratercula and Cerorhinca as compared to Uria have been made. During the evolution of puffins, the shape of the high and laterally compressed bill was affected by the necessity to squeeze items forcefully, which is primarily related to digging burrows (by biting the soil, which is usually dense turf), and to some extent, by sexual selection. Narrower jaws in the transverse plane exert a higher pressure during grasping and extrude a more limited water volume when the mouth is closed helping the birds to catch small crustaceans. The need to align obliquely the external adductor muscle has determined the major traits of the head in these birds, namely, a modified layout of the external adductor muscle with the prevalence of its medial portion, reduction of the postorbital part of the superficial portion, and the clinorhynchy of the skull. There is an abutment of the mandible against the cranial base, which prevents the mandible from retreating when the bird presses the bill into soil (turf) during digging. The morphology of the skull and jaw apparatus of the Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) is assumed to be fundamental for the genus. In the tufted puffin (F. cirrhata), maximal development of the aponeurotic framework in the jaw muscles is observed, as is a decreased range of cranial kinetics due to the complication of the pseudotemporalis profundus muscle, which increases its available force to the detriment of the contraction amplitude. The horn billed puffin (Cerorhinca monocerata) shows a secondarily despecialized state.

The visual fields of Common Guillemots Uria aalge and Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica: foraging, vigilance and collision vulnerability

Significant differences in avian visual fields are found between closely related species that differ in their foraging technique. We report marked differences in the visual fields of two auk species. In air, Common Guillemots Uria aalge have relatively narrow binocular fields typical of those found in non‐passerine predatory birds. Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica have much broader binocular fields similar to those that have hitherto been recorded in passerines and in a penguin. In water, visual fields narrow considerably and binocularity in the direction of the bill is probably abolished in both auk species. Although perceptual challenges associated with foraging are similar in both species during the breeding season, when they are piscivorous, Puffins (but not Guillemots) face more exacting perceptual challenges when foraging at other times, when they take a high proportion of small invertebrate prey. Capturing this prey probably requires more accurate, visually guided bill placement and we argue that this is met by the Puffin's broader binocular field, which is retained upon immersion; its upward orientation may enable prey to be seen in silhouette. These visual field configurations have potentially important consequences that render these birds vulnerable to collision with human artefacts underwater, but not in air. They also have consequences for vigilance behaviour.

Seventeenth census of seabird populations in the sanctuaries of the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2010

Seabirds in the 10 migratory bird sanctuaries of the North Shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Quebec, Canada, which were created in 1925, have been censused regularly for the last 85 years. The sanctuaries support 16 seabird species, many of which are found in significant numbers. From 2005 to 2010, some notable population changes were observed: large increases in Common Murres (Uria aalge), Razorbills (Alca torda), and two species of cormorants and continuing declines in Black-legged Kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica). The status of Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) and Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) is extremely precarious because of their small breeding populations. Between 2005 and 2010, seabird numbers in the sanctuaries increased 19% overall and were stable in most sanctuaries (≤ 15% change); however, notable increases were observed at Îles Sainte-Marie (60%), Baie des Loups (47%), and Île à la Brume (44%). Nonetheless, considering historical records, increased surveillance and raising of awareness of seabird conservation in local communities near the sanctuaries of Île à la Brume, Baie des Loups, and Saint-Augustin would be most beneficial.

Decline in an Atlantic Puffin Population: Evaluation of Magnitude and Mechanisms.

Determining which demographic and ecological parameters contribute to variation in population growth rate is crucial to understanding the dynamics of declining populations. This study aimed to evaluate the magnitude and mechanisms of an apparent major decline in an Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica population. This was achieved using a 27-year dataset to estimate changes in population size and in two key demographic rates: adult survival and breeding success. Estimated demographic variation was then related to two ecological factors hypothesised to be key drivers of demographic change, namely the abundance of the main predator at the study site, the Great Skua Stercorarius skua, and Atlantic Puffin chick food supply, over the same 27-year period. Using a population model, we assessed whether estimated variation in adult survival and reproductive success was sufficient to explain the population change observed. Estimates of Atlantic Puffin population size decreased considerably during the study period, approximately halving, whereas Great Skua population estimates increased, approximately trebling. Estimated adult Atlantic Puffin survival remained high across all years and did not vary with Great Skua abundance; however, Atlantic Puffin breeding success and quantities of fish prey brought ashore by adults both decreased substantially through the period. A population model combining best possible demographic parameter estimates predicted rapid population growth, at odds with the long-term decrease observed. To simulate the observed decrease, population models had to incorporate low immature survival, high immature emigration, or increasingly high adult non-breeding rates. We concluded that reduced recruitment of immatures into the breeding population was the most likely cause of population decrease. This study showed that increase in the size of a predator population does not always impact on the survival of adult prey and that reduced recruitment can be a crucial determinant of seabird population size but can easily go undetected.

Relative importance of local enhancement as a search strategy for breeding seabirds: an experimental approach

During the breeding season, seabirds may use many behavioural strategies to reduce the time and energy spent searching for patchily distributed prey. Seabirds breeding at a large colony on the northeast Newfoundland coast (Funk Island), primarily common murres, Uria aalge, and northern gannets, Morus bassanus, predominantly feed on capelin, Mallotus villosus. Within foraging ranges, high-abundance capelin aggregations can be predictably located at deep-water (<40 m) spawning sites during the spawning period in mid- to late July, before which capelin are distributed in small, ephemeral schools. To investigate the 'local enhancement' hypothesis, we conducted a field-based experiment by deploying seabird-mimicking plastic models, or 'decoys', during JulyeAugust in 2009 and 2013, to determine whether breeding murres, gannets and Atlantic puffins, Fratercula arctica, respond to seabird aggregations. We used three decoy treatments: ‘Murre’, ‘Gannet’ and ‘Hotspot’ (both murre and gannet decoys). Pursuit-diving and plunge-diving birds were 4e7 and 17 times, respectively more likely to respond to decoy treatment relative to control periods. All species responded more to conspecifics, or to species within the same foraging guild, during single-species treatments (i.e. Murre, Gannet), but responded similarly (i.e. murres, puffins) or more (i.e. gannets) to the Hotspot treatment, suggesting that predator density in general is an important cue. Fewer murres responded to decoys during capelin spawning relative to pre-spawning, suggesting that murres use local enhancement to a lesser degree when prey can be predictably located nearby. This study provides experimental evidence that seabirds use local enhancement as a search strategy, but to varying degrees under changing prey conditions.

The winter diet of theAtlanticPuffinFratercula arcticaaround theFaroeIslands

Most mortality of Atlantic Puffins occurs outside the breeding season but little is known about the species’ diet at that time. The stomach contents of 176 Puffins shot legally for food around the Faroe Islands between October and January in three winters were examined. The remains of 20 species of fish, six species of crustacea and single species of polychaete, chaetognathid and squid were identified. The most frequently recorded prey in terms of frequency of occurrence were 0 group (&lt; 1 year old) Lesser SandeelAmmodytes marinus(82% of stomachs), followed by mesopelagic fish (52%), nereid worms (41%), Silver RocklingGaidropsarus argentatus(36%), crustacea (35%), large sandeel (32%) and other large fish (32%). In terms of calculated biomass, nereids (41%), large sandeel (23%) and other large fish (17%) made up the bulk of the diet but the latter two prey types were most important in energetic terms (46% despite accounting for only 9% of items). Stomach contents collected on the same day and location were significantly more similar than those collected on different dates and locations, suggesting that during the winter, Puffins are generalists, taking any prey they encounter.

Mercury in wintering seabirds, an aggravating factor to winter wrecks?

Every year, thousands of seabirds are cast ashore and are found dead along the coasts of North America and Western Europe. These massive mortality events called ‘winter wrecks’ have generally been attributed to harsh climatic conditions and prolonged storms which affect bird energy balance and impact their body condition. Nevertheless, additional stress factors, such as contaminant body burden, could potentially cumulate to energy constraints and actively contribute to winter wrecks. However, the role played by these additional factors in seabird massive winter mortality has received little attention to date. In February/March 2014, an unprecedented seabird wreck occurred along the Atlantic French coasts during which >43,000 seabirds were found dead. By analyzing mercury (Hg) concentrations in various tissues collected on stranded birds, we tested the hypothesis that Hg played a significant role in this mortality. More specifically, we aimed to (1) describe Hg contamination in wintering seabirds found along the French coasts in 2014, and (2) determine if Hg concentrations measured in some vital organs such as kidney and brain reached toxicity thresholds that could have led to deleterious effects and to an enhanced mortality. We found some of the highest Hg levels ever reported in Atlantic puffins, common guillemots, razorbills and kittiwakes. Measured concentrations ranged from 0.8 to 3.6μg·g−1 of dry weight in brain, 1.3 to 7.2μg·g−1 in muscle, 2.5 to 13.5μg·g−1 in kidney, 2.9 to 18.6μg·g−1 in blood and from 3.1 to 19.5μg·g−1 in liver. Hg concentrations in liver and brain were generally below the estimated acute toxicity levels. However, kidney concentrations were not different than those measured in the liver, and above levels associated to renal sub-lethal effects, suggesting a potential Hg poisoning. We concluded that although Hg was not directly responsible for the high observed mortality, it has been a major aggravating stress factor for emaciated birds already on the edge. Importantly, this study also demonstrated that total blood, which can be non-lethally collected in seabirds, can be used as a predictor of Hg contamination in other tissues.

Climate and changing winter distribution of alcids in the Northwest Atlantic

Population level impacts upon seabirds from changing climate are increasingly evident, and include effects on phenology, migration, dispersal, annual survivorship and reproduction. Most population data on seabirds derive from nesting colonies; documented climate impacts on winter ecology are scarce. We studied interannual variability in winter abundance of six species of alcids (Charadriiformes, Alcidae) from a 58-year time series of data collected in Massachusetts 1954-2011. We used counts of birds taken during fall and winter from coastal vantage points. Counts were made by amateur birders, but coverage was consistent in timing and location. We found significant association between winter abundance of all six species of alcids and climate, indexed by North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), at two temporal scales: 1.) Significant linear trends at the 58-year scale of the time series; and 2.) Shorter term fluctuations corresponding to the 5-8 year periodicity of NAO. Thus, variation in winter abundance of all six species of alcids was significantly related to the combined short-term and longer-term components of variation in NAO. Two low-Arctic species (Atlantic Puffin and Black Guillemot) peaked during NAO positive years, while two high Arctic species (Dovekie and Thick-billed Murre) peaked during NAO negative years. For Common Murres and Razorbills, southward shifts in winter distribution have been accompanied by southward expansion of breeding range, and increase within the core of the range. The proximate mechanism governing these changes is unclear, but, as for most other species of seabirds whose distributions have changed with climate, seems likely to be through their prey.

Measuring corticosterone in feathers using an acetonitrile/hexane extraction and enzyme immunoassay: feather corticosterone levels of food-supplemented Atlantic Puffin chicks

Glucocorticoid levels measured in the blood of animals reflect hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) activity in response to predictable and unpredictable changes. In birds, circulating corticosterone is incorporated into growing feathers and provides an integrated measure of HPA activity over the period of feather growth. Measuring corticosterone in feathers can provide insight into the physiological state of birds during times when they are unavailable for blood sampling (e.g., during migratory or non-breeding periods of the annual cycle). Building upon studies that used radioimmunoassay or liquid chromatography, we used a commercially available enzyme immunoassay kit to measure corticosterone in feathers of nestling Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica) on Gull Island, Newfoundland, Canada, in 2012, and demonstrate the benefits of sample preparation via acetonitrile/hexane purification. We used this method to measure corticosterone in feathers of Atlantic Puffin chicks that experienced differences in mass gain in a supplementary feeding study. We found a positive relationship between feather corticosterone and mass gain, and a negative relationship between feather corticosterone and pre-treatment body condition. Because feathers were growing prior to and during the supplementary feeding period, our results also suggest that extracting seabird feather samples with acetonitrile/hexane (in addition to methanol) prior to measuring corticosterone with enzyme immunoassay is beneficial, and, as reported in previous studies, blood and feather corticosterone values reflect different measures. Medición de corticosterona en plumas utilizando extracción por acetonitrilo/hexano y inmunoensayos enzimáticos: niveles de corticosterona en las plumas de Fratercula artica suplementados en su alimentación Los niveles de glucocorticoide medidos en la sangre de animales representan la actividad del hipotálamo-pituitario-adrenal (HPA) en respuesta a cambios predecibles e impredecibles. En aves, la corticosterona que circula es incorporada durante el crecimiento de las plumas y provee una medida integrada de la actividad HPA a lo largo del periodo de crecimiento de la pluma. Medir la corticosterona en las plumas puede proveer información a cerca del estado fisiológico de las aves durante periodos en los que no están disponibles para la toma de muestras de sangre (e.g. durante la migración o durante periodos no reproductivos del ciclo anual). Basándonos en estudios en los que utilizaron radio-inmunoensayos o cromatografía liquida, utilizamos un kit de inmunoensayos enzimáticos disponible comercialmente para medir los niveles de corticosterona en las plumas de polluelos de Fratercula artica en las isla de Gull, Terranova, Canada, en 2012, con el fin de demostrar los beneficios de la preparación de las muestras a través de la purificación con acetonitrilo/hexano. Utilizamos este método para medir la corticosterona en las plumas de los polluelos de Fratercula artica que experimentaron un incremento en el tamaño corporal debido a un estudio de suplementos alimenticios. Encontramos una relación positiva entre la corticosterona de las plumas y el incremento en el tamaño corporal, además de una relación negativa entre la corticosterona en las plumas y la condición corporal previo al tratamiento. Debido a que las plumas estaban en etapa de crecimiento durante el periodo previo y durante la alimentación suplementaria, nuestros resultados sugieren que los niveles de corticosterona en las plumas fueron influenciados por el estatus nutricional. Nuestros resultados también sugieren que la extracción de muestras de plumas de aves oceánicas utilizando acetonitrilo/hexano (en adición al metanol) previo a la medición de la corticosterona con inmunoensayo enzimático, es beneficial, y consistente a lo reportado en estudios previos, los niveles de corticosterona en la sangre y en las plumas reflejan diferentes medidas.

Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica chick growth in relation to food load composition

Despite a long-term (1989-2013) reduction in size of fish brought to Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica chicks and a parallel increase in numbers of fish in the food loads, there was no evidence of changes in chick growth rates at Hornøya, NE Norway. Recent declines in chick survival and cessation in population growth suggest, however, that environmental conditions have changed to an extent that breeding success is now compromised.

Relationships Between Persistent Organic Pollutants and Circulating Immunoglobulin-Y in Black-Legged Kittiwakes and Atlantic Puffins

Have Although persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may affect the immune system, few field studies actually examined this effect. There are indications that POP exert effects on the immune system; however, in the Arctic ecosystem data are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine immune functions in two medium trophic-positioned seabirds, the black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica). Overall POP concentrations were higher in kittiwakes than puffins and males had significantly higher concentrations than females. Mean concentrations of total polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB9) were 4700 ± 200 and 9600 ± 1400 ng/g lipid weight and 2800 ± 180 and 3900 ± 200 ng/g lipid weight in female and male kittiwake and puffin blood, respectively. Levels of immunoglobulin-Y (IgY) in blood of kittiwakes were not markedly affected by concentrations of POP. Similarly, the primary IgY response to tetanus toxoid was not affected by POP concentrations in a subsample of immunized kittiwakes. In puffins, there were significant correlations between the IgY-response and some of the POPs, but with low explanatory values. These results suggest that POPs concentrations were lower than, or just at the threshold level for effects of the proposed IgY biomarker. It is also conceivable that the IgY levels are not a suitable endpoint for evaluating perturbation of the immune system in free-living seabirds.

When are Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica in the North Sea and around the Faroe Islands flightless?

Capsule Atlantic Puffins in the North Sea can replace their primaries, and hence be flightless, any time between September and March but there are peaks in wing moult in October and March and a smaller proportion of birds moult between November and February.Aims To determine when Atlantic Puffins wintering in the North Sea and around the Faroe Islands replace their primaries and are flightless.Methods We examined 1431 Atlantic Puffins washed ashore on the coasts of the North Sea and 165 shot in the Faroe Islands. Birds were aged using bill characteristics and the state of wing moult and age of the primaries recorded.Results Flightless adult Puffins were recorded in all months between September and March but the proportions of moulting birds were higher in October and March and lower in January and February. Most juveniles did not become flightless during their first winter and probably do not moult their primaries until about one-year old. On average, adults completed their moult slightly earlier than immatures, consistent with a typically earlier return to the breeding colony at the start of the breeding season.Conclusion Despite the Atlantic Puffin being one of the most abundant birds in the North Sea we still know little about its moult. The available data indicate that the species exhibits a highly unusual pattern with the timing of the flightless period showing much greater variation than normal. The causes and consequences of this flexibility are currently unknown but results from ringed birds indicate that timing of moult can vary markedly within a breeding population.

Signals of need and quality: Atlantic puffin chicks can beg and boast

Need and hunger models of honest begging predict that lower-quality offspring should call more, or beg, to signal their poor body condition or hunger. In contrast, quality models of begging predict that offspring of higher fitness should call more, or boast, to signal their viability to parents. We observed 2 types of calls in Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) chicks: a shorter peep call and a longer screech call. Poorly fed chicks screeched during a higher proportion of parental visits than well-fed chicks. Food-supplemented chicks showed a decrease in the proportion of food visits with screech calls, whereas control chicks did not. Chicks in good body condition peeped more than chicks in poor body condition and these chicks showed a greater increase in the peep call rate after supplemental feeding than chicks that started off in poorer condition. Screech calls may signal need and/or hunger to parents, whereas peep calls may signal chick quality. This combination of signals should allow parents to make strategic resource-based decisions, allocating more food to hungry or lower-quality chicks when resources are abundant and preferentially feeding high-quality chicks when resources are scarce.

An experimental test of host specialization in a ubiquitous polar ectoparasite: a role for adaptation?

The evolution of host specificity is considered to be an essential mechanism driving parasite diversity. It may be governed by adaptive constraints that lead to host-dependent fitness trade-offs. Alternatively, specificity may arise via transmission constraints that isolate parasite populations, without necessarily involving adaptation per se. Here, we ask whether the repeated observation of host-associated genetic races across the worldwide distribution of the seabird ectoparasite Ixodes uriae is associated with host adaptation. We conducted a field-based experiment to test for adaptive specialisation in host races of I.uriae. We transferred unengorged ticks of two life stages (nymphs and adults) originating from three host species (black-legged kittiwake, common guillemot and Atlantic puffin) onto young kittiwake nestlings and followed attraction and attachment rates, engorgement times and feeding success of the transplanted ticks. All ticks were also typed genetically to match exploitation patterns with genetic differences among races. Ticks from atypical hosts were significantly less attracted to nestlings than ticks from the typical host, and showed lower feeding success and higher mortality. The degree of host specificity matched patterns of neutral genetic variation among races, with puffin ticks being more specific than guillemot ticks. Differences in specificity were also apparent among tick life stages, suggesting that nymphal ticks may be less discriminating of host type than adult ticks. Our results indicate that the genetic divergence previously observed among sympatric I.uriae host races is at least partially linked to adaptive specialisation to the host species and not simply to host-mediated transmission. They also suggest that the adaptation process may evolve differently in different life stages based on trade-offs with physiological constraints. The identification of the selective forces acting in host specialization will now be necessary to better characterize these patterns and to understand how transmission interacts with the adaptation process to generate parasite biodiversity.

The status of breeding seabirds on the Isle of Tiree, Argyll, 2004-13

Annual monitoring of breeding seabirds on the Isle of Tiree 2004-13 revealed significant declines in the numbers of Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, Common Guillemot Uria aalge, Razorbill Alca torda and Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla at the main seabird colony of Ceann a' Mhara. Numbers of Herring Gull Larus argentatus and Lesser Black-backed Gull L. fuscus also declined significantly across the island over the same period, whilst numbers of Common Gull L. canus increased significantly. Most other breeding seabirds including European Shag Phalacrocorax aristotelis, Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle, Little Tern Sternula albifrons, Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea and Black-headed Gull Croicocephalus ridibundus remained stable or showed non-significant declines. Breeding was confirmed for the first time on Tiree by single pairs of Great Skua Stercorarius skua and Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica. Annual estimates of breeding success were recorded for six species. There were complete breeding failures of Black-legged Kittiwake in 2007-08, Arctic Tern in 2004-05 and Little Tern in 2006, although all three species had higher breeding success in 2009-13.

Aging Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica in summer and winter

Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica in summer and winter plumage can be aged as first-year, second-year, third-year, young adult and old adult using the number of grooves on the outer part of the beak. The technique is useful to bird ringers and those dealing with birds found dead in wrecks and pollution incidents where knowledge of the ages of individuals involved can help assess the likely effect on breeding populations.

From Puffins to Plankton: A DNA-Based Analysis of a Seabird Food Chain in the Northern Gulf of Maine

The predator-prey interactions within food chains are used to both characterize and understand ecosystems. Conventional methods of constructing food chains from visual identification of prey in predator diet can suffer from poor taxonomic resolution, misidentification, and bias against small or completely digestible prey. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has become a powerful tool for diet reconstruction through barcoding of DNA in stomach content or fecal samples. Here we use multi-locus (16S and CO1) next-generation sequencing of DNA barcodes on the feces of Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) chicks (n=65) and adults (n=64) and the stomach contents of their main prey, Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus, n=44) to investigate a previously studied food chain. We compared conventional and molecular-derived chick diet, tested the similarity between the diets of puffin adults and chicks, and determined whether herring prey can be detected in puffin diet samples. There was high variability in the coverage of prey groups between 16S and CO1 markers. We identified more unique prey with our 16S compared to CO1 barcoding markers (51 and 39 taxa respectively) with only 12 taxa identified by both genes. We found no significant difference between the 16S-identified diets of puffin adults (n=17) and chicks (n=41). Our molecular method is more taxonomically resolved and detected chick prey at higher frequencies than conventional field observations. Many likely planktonic prey of herring were detected in feces from puffin adults and chicks, highlighting the impact secondary consumption may have on the interpretation of molecular dietary analysis. This study represents the first simultaneous molecular investigation into the diet of multiple components of a food chain and highlights the utility of a multi-locus approach to diet reconstruction that is broadly applicable to food web analysis.

Atlantic Puffins are Attracted to Coastal Communities in Eastern Newfoundland

The Puffin Patrol is a volunteer-based group that rescues fledgling Fratercula arctica (Atlantic Puffin) stranded in coastal communities overlooking the Witless Bay Seabird Ecological Reserve in Newfoundland, Canada, which hosts the two largest Atlantic Puffin colonies in North America. We examine local environmental factors (visibility, moon phase) that may influence light attraction in Atlantic Puffins and explore the use of weight data and other information collected through this volunteer-based initiative to help monitor the health of this important population. In 2011, only 13 live Atlantic Puffins were captured despite nightly search efforts throughout the fledging period; this low capture rate was attributed to poor breeding success at the colony. In contrast, in 2012, 414 live fledgling puffins were captured and successfully released between 6 August and 5 September; 388 of these were banded and weighed prior to release. Capture rates on nights with poor visibility due to fog (26 fledglings per night) were similar to fogless nights (24 fledglings per night). Most live Atlantic Puffins were captured within a two-week period around the new moon. Fledglings weighed 248 ± 25 (SD) g, range = 160–315 g; weights significantly declined over the fledging period. In addition to the direct conservation benefits of saving grounded Atlantic Puffins, information collected through this volunteer-based initiative 1) provides insight on factors affecting Atlantic Puffins' attraction to coastal communities, 2) shows the importance of mitigating artificial light during the birds' fledging period within these developing communities, and 3) helps collect important demographic information without causing additional disturbance to the colonies.

Evaluation of Seabirds in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, as Hosts of Influenza A Viruses

Influenza A viruses infect a wide range of hosts, including many species of birds. Avian influenza A virus (AIV) infection appears to be most common in Anseriformes (ducks, geese, and swans) and some Charadriiformes (shorebirds and gulls), but many other birds also serve as hosts of AIV. Here, we evaluated the role of seabirds as hosts for AIV. We tested 3,160 swab samples from 13 seabird species between May 2008 and December 2011 in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We also tested 156 serum samples for evidence of previous infection of AIV in Common Murres (Uria aalge) and Atlantic Puffins (Fratercula arctica). Avian influenza A virus was detected in breeding Common Murres and nonbreeding Thick-billed Murres (Uria lomvia), and Common Murres also had high antibody prevalence (44%). From these findings, combined with other studies showing AIV infection in murres, we conclude that murres are important for the ecology of AIV. For other species (Razorbill, Alca torda; Leach's Storm-Petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa; Black-legged Kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla; Atlantic Puffin) with good coverage (>100 samples) we did not detect AIV. However, serology indicates infection does occur in Atlantic Puffins, with 22% antibody prevalence found. The possibility of virus spread through dense breeding colonies and the long distance movements of these hosts make a more thorough evaluation of the role for seabirds as hosts of AIV important.

Annual survival of adult Atlantic Puffins Fratercula arctica is positively correlated with Herring Clupea harengus availability

Atlantic Herring is a keystone species in several marine ecosystems, supporting intensive fisheries as well as many predators including seabirds. Biomass of this stock in eastern North America has declined considerably in recent years, potentially putting at risk populations of its predators. Although adult survival in seabirds is considered robust to moderate changes in food availability, it is also the life‐history component most critical to sustaining populations of long‐lived birds. To investigate the possibility that Atlantic Puffin survival has been affected by reduced abundance of its main prey, we analysed the encounter histories of 2999 Atlantic Puffins ringed on Machias Seal Island to estimate annual adult survival for the years 1999–2011 and assess trends in survival and the effects of several biological and environmental covariates. Features of Puffin biology and resighting procedures likely to introduce heterogeneity into our resighting probabilities were accounted for and models of survival were assessed using standard methods. We used the variance components procedure in Program MARK and survival estimates from a time‐varying model to estimate the process variance (biological variation in survival) accounted for by suspected covariates of survival. Two proxies of food availability each explained more than half of the variation in annual survival: fishery landings of Atlantic Herring (52%) and per cent (by mass) of 1‐group Herring in the diet of Puffin chicks (51%). In addition to these proxies, May sea‐surface temperature accounted for 37% of variance in survival, but winter values of North Atlantic Oscillation showed no effect. Of those parameters of Puffin biology examined, chick growth rate explained 19% of the process variance in annual survival; laying date, fledging condition and fledging date all explained no variance. A decline in fishery landings of Herring since the early 1990s, and a concurrent decline in adult Puffin survival, reinforces concern for the health of the population of Herring, a keystone forage fish in this region, and of the community of marine predators in the Gulf of Maine that rely on Herring for their survival and reproduction.