Incubation and brooding performance of the Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica at Svarthamaren, Dronning Maud Land

TLDR: Both males and females gained weight at a higher rate when at sea than they lost it during incubation, and it is suggested that factors unrelated to food availability or individual feeding skills may be important in regulating the duration of the incubation shifts and the stay at sea.

Abstract: Antarctic Petrel Thalassoica antarctica incubation and brooding effort was studied at Svarthamaren, Dronning Maud Land, during the austral summer of 1991–1992. The females probably left the nest site shortly after egg laying. The duration of incubation and brooding shifts as well as the daily weight loss (absolute and proportionate) were comparable with those of other similar-sized procellariform species. Males spent more time incubating and brooding than did females, suggesting higher female energy stress due to egg laying. Incubating birds which were below average weight were likely to desert the nests before their mates returned from feeding trips. Both males and females lost approximately one-fifth of their body-weight during their first incubation shifts. Nevertheless, they increased their initial weights from egg laying to hatching and had their highest initial weights when they returned to start the shift during which the egg hatched. No factors related to adult body-weight explained the duration of the incubation shifts. Both males and females gained weight at a higher rate when at sea than they lost it during incubation, and it is suggested that factors unrelated to food availability or individual feeding skills may be important in regulating the duration of the incubation shifts and the stay at sea.