Volume 44, No. 2
Volumes > 38 (2010-->)
- Volume 52, No. 2, 2024
- Volume 52, No. 1, 2024
- Volume 51, No. 2, 2023
- Volume 51, No. 1, 2023
- Volume 50, No. 2, 2022
- Volume 50, No. 1, 2022
- Volume 49, No. 2, 2021
- Volume 49, No. 1, 2021
- Volume 48, No. 2, 2020
- Volume 48, No. 1, 2020
- Volume 47, No. 2, 2019
- Volume 47, No. 1, 2019
- Volume 46, No. 2, 2018
- Volume 46, No. 1, 2018
- Volume 45, No. 2, 2017
- Volume 45, No. 1, 2017
- Volume 44, No. 2, 2016
- Volume 44, No. 1, 2016
- Volume 43, No. 2, 2015
- Volume 43, No. 1, 2015
- Volume 42, No. 2, 2014
- Volume 42, No. 1, 2014
- Volume 41, No. 2, 2013
- Volume 41, No. 1, 2013
- Volume 41, Special Issue, 2013
- Volume 40, No. 2, 2012
- Volume 40, No. 1, 2012
- Volume 39, No. 2, 2011
- Volume 39, No. 1, 2011
- Volume 38, No. 2, 2010
- Volume 38, No. 1, 2010
Volumes 28-37 (2000-09)
- Volume 37, No. 3, 2009
- Volume 37, No. 2, 2009
- Volume 37, No. 1, 2009
- Volume 36, No. 2, 2008
- Volume 36, No. 1, 2008
- Volume 35, No. 2, 2007
- Volume 35, No. 1, 2007
- Volume 34, No. 2, 2006
- Volume 34, No. 1, 2006
- Volume 33, No. 2, 2005
- Volume 33, No. 1, 2005
- Volume 32, No. 2, 2004
- Volume 32, No. 1, 2004
- Volume 31, No. 2, 2003
- Volume 31, No. 1, 2003
- Volume 30, No. 2, 2002
- Volume 30, No. 1, 2002
- Volume 29, No. 2, 2001
- Volume 29, No. 1, 2001
- Volume 28, No. 2, 2000
- Volume 28, No. 1, 2000
Volumes 18-27 (1990-99)
- Volume 27, No. 1 & 2, 1999
- Volume 26, No. 1 & 2, 1998
- Volume 24, No. 1 & 2, 1996
- Volume 25, No. 1 & 2, 1997
- Volume 23, No. 2, 1995
- Volume 23, No. 1, 1995
- Volume 22, No. 2, 1994
- Volume 22, No. 1, 1994
- Volume 21, No. 1 & 2, 1993
- Volume 20, No. 1 & 2, 1992
- Volume 19, No. 1, 1991
- Volume 18, No. 1 & 2, 1990
Volumes 5-17 (1978-89) a.k.a 'Cormorant'
- Volume 17, No. 1 & 2, 1989
- Volume 16, No. 1, 1988
- Volume 16, No. 2, 1988
- Volume 15, No. 1 & 2, 1987
- Volume 14, No. 1 & 2, 1987
- Volume 13, No. 2, 1986
- Volume 13, No. 1, 1986
- Volume 12, No. 2, 1985
- Volume 12, No. 1, 1985
- Volume 11, No. 1 & 2, 1984
- Volume 10, No. 2, 1983
- Volume 10, No. 1, 1983
- Volume 9, No. 2, 1982
- Volume 9, No. 1, 1982
- Volume 8, No. 2, 1981
- Volume 8, No. 1, 1981
- Volume 7, 1980
- Volume 5, 1978
Search by author or title:
Breeding decisions of Kittlitz's Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris, Icy Bay, Alaska
Citation
KISSLING, M.L., LEWIS, S.B., LUKACS, P.M., WAITE, J.N. & GENDE, S.M. 2016. Breeding decisions of Kittlitz's Murrelets Brachyramphus brevirostris, Icy Bay, Alaska.
Marine Ornithology 44: 171
- 182
http://doi.org/10.5038/2074-1235.44.2.1176
Received 13 June 2014, accepted 29 April 2016
Date Published: 2016/10/15
Date Online: 2017/02/28
Key words: Alaska, Brachyramphus, breeding decision, pre-breeding, murrelet, nest initiation
Abstract
The Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris is an uncommon, dispersed-nesting seabird endemic to coastal waters of Alaska and eastern Russia. While the range-wide status of this species is unclear, proximate concerns regarding its viability are driven by low breeding propensity and nesting success. We studied individual and environmental factors associated with the decision to breed and timing of nest initiation of Kittlitz's Murrelets in Icy Bay, Alaska, over a 6-year period between 2007 and 2012. We radio-tagged 191 of 569 individuals captured during the spring pre-breeding period. At the time of capture, nearly all murrelets were exhibiting signs of breeding; most were in alternate plumage, paired, in apparently good body condition, and developing a brood patch. Yet an average of only 20% (range 5%–45%) of the radio-tagged murrelets nested annually. More individuals chose to breed during years with an intense Aleutian low-pressure system (i.e. low North Pacific Index) and low average wind speeds in the spring, with such conditions apparently leading to an earlier and stronger phytoplankton bloom. Our results also indicated a weak, positive association between the peak magnitude of chlorophyll-a and delayed nest initiation. While we infer that the decision to breed and timing of nest initiation are related in part to factors that reflect spring bloom dynamics, we encourage more directed studies on the relationship between environmental conditions during the spring pre-breeding period and the chronically low reproductive output exhibited by this species.
References
AINLEY, D.G., BALLARD, G., JONES, R.M., JONGSOMJIT, D., PIERCE, S.D., SMITH, JR., W.O. & VELOZ, S. 2015. Trophic cascades in the western Ross Sea, Antarctica: revisited. Marine Ecology Progress Series 534: 1-16.
ANGELIER, F. & CHASTEL, O. 2009. Stress, prolactin and parental investment in birds: a review. General and Comparative Endocrinology 163: 142-148.
ARIMITSU, M., PIATT, J.F., ROMANO, M.D. & VAN PELT, T.I. 2011. Status and distribution of the Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris in Kenai Fjords, Alaska. Marine Ornithology 39: 13-22.
ARNOLD, J.M., HATCH, J.J. & NISBET, I.C.T. 2004. Seasonal declines in reproductive success of the common tern Sterna hirundo: timing or parental quality? Journal of Avian Biology 35: 33-45.
BARBAREE, B.A. 2014. Nesting season ecology of Marbled Murrelets at a remote mainland fjord in Southeast Alaska. Condor 116: 173-184.
BARCLAY, D.J., BARCLAY, J.L., CALKIN, P.E. & WILES, G.C. 2006. A revised and extended Holocene glacial history of Icy Bay, Southern Alaska, USA. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 38: 153-162.
BRADLEY, J.S., WOOLER, R.D. & SKIRA, I.J. 2000. Intermittent breeding in the short-tailed shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris. Journal of Animal Ecology 69: 639-650.
BRADLEY, R.W., COOKE, R., LOUGHEED, L.W. & BOYD, W.S. 2004. Inferring breeding success through radiotelemetry in the Marbled Murrelet. Journal of Wildlife Management 68: 318-331.
BREWIN, R.J.W., HARDMAN-MOUNTFORD, N.J., LAVENDER, S.J., ET AL. 2011. An intercomparison of bio-optical techniques for detecting dominant phytoplankton size class from satellite remote sensing. Remote Sensing of the Environment 115: 325-329.
BRICKLEY, P.J. & THOMAS, A.C. 2004. Satellite-measured seasonal and inter-annual chlorophyll variability in the Northeast Pacific and Coastal Gulf of Alaska. Deep-Sea Research II 51: 229-245.
CAM, E., HINES, J.E., MONNAT, J.Y., NICHOLS, J.D. & DANCHIN, E. 1998. Are adult nonbreeders prudent parents? The kittiwake model. Ecology 79: 2917-2930.
CHASTEL, O., WEIMERSKIRCH, H. & JOUVENTIN, P. 1995. Influence of body condition on reproductive decision and reproductive success in the blue petrel. Auk 112: 964-972.
CUBAYNES, S., DOHERTY, JR., P.F., SCHREIBER, E.A. & GIMENEZ, O. 2011. To breed or not to breed: a seabird's response to extreme climatic events. Biology Letters 7: 303-306.
DAWSON, R.D. & BORTOLOTTI, G.R. 1997. Are avian hematocrits indicative of condition? American Kestrels as a model. Journal of Wildlife Management 61: 1297-1306.
DAY, R.H. 2011. Evaluating population trends of Kittlitz's Murrelets in Alaska. Final Report to Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Juneau, Alaska. Fairbanks, Alaska: ABR, Inc.—Environmental Research and Services.
DAY, R.H., KULETZ, K.J. & NIGRO, D.A. 1999. Kittlitz's murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris). In: POOLE, A. & GILL, F. (Eds.) The Birds of North America. No. 435. Philadelphia and Washington, DC: Academy of Natural Sciences and American Ornithologists' Union.
DAY, R.H. & NIGRO, D.A. 2004. Is the Kittlitz's murrelet exhibiting reproductive problems in Prince William Sound, Alaska? Waterbirds 27: 89-95.
GIUDICI, A., NAVARRO, J., JUSTE, C. & GONZALEZ-SOLIS, J. 2010. Physiological ecology of breeders and sabbaticals in a pelagic seabird. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 389: 13-17.
HAMER, K.C., SCHREIBER, E.A. & BURGER, J. 2002. Breeding biology, life histories, and life history-environment interactions in seabirds. In: SCHREIBER, E.A. & BURGER, J. (Eds.) Biology of marine birds. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press. pp. 217-262.
HATCH, N.R. 2011. Foraging ecology and reproductive energetics of the Kittlitz's Murrelet (Brachyramphus brevirostris) in Southeast Alaska. MS Thesis. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University.
HENSON, S.A. 2007. Water column stability and spring bloom dynamics in the Gulf of Alaska. Journal of Marine Research 65: 715-736.
HIPFNER, J.M. 2008. Matches and mismatches: ocean climate, prey phenology and breeding success in a zooplanktivorous seabird. Marine Ecology Progress Series 368: 295-304.
HODGES, J.I. & KIRCHHOFF, M.D. 2012. Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris population trend in Prince William Sound, Alaska: implications of species misidentification. Marine Ornithology 40: 117-120.
JANSSEN, M.H., ARCESE, P., KYSER, T.K., BERTRAM, D.F., McFARLANE-TRANQUILLA, L., WILLIAMS, T.D. & NORRIS, D.R. 2009. Pre-breeding diet, condition and timing of breeding in a threatened seabird, the Marbled Murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus. Marine Ornithology 37: 33-40.
KALER, R.S.A., KENNEY, L.A. & SANDERCOCK, B.K. 2009. Breeding ecology of Kittlitz's murrelets at Agattu Island, Aleutian Archipelago, Alaska. Waterbirds 32: 363-379.
KENWARD, R.E., WALLS, S.S., HODDER, K.H., PAHKALA, M., FREEMAN, S.N. & SIMPSON, V.R. 2000. The prevalence of non-breeders in raptor populations: evidence from rings, radio-tags, and transect surveys. Oikos 91: 271-279.
KIRCHHOFF, M.D., LINDELL, J.R. & HODGES, J.I. 2014. From critically endangered to least concern?—A revised population trend for the Kittlitz's Murrelet in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Condor: Ornithological Applications 116: 24-34.
KISSLING, M.L., GENDE, S.M., LEWIS, S.B. & LUKACS, P.M. 2015. Reproductive performance of Kittlitz's murrelet in a glaciated landscape, Icy Bay, Alaska, USA. Condor: Ornithological Applications 117: 237-248.
KITAYSKY, A.S., PIATT, J.F., HATCH, S.A., KITAISKAIA, E.V., BENOWITZ-FREDERICKS, M., SHULTZ, M.T. & WINGFIELD, J.C. 2010. Food availability and population processes: severity of nutritional stress during reproduction predicts survival of long-lived seabirds. Functional Ecology 24: 625-637.
KULETZ, K.J., NATIONS, C.S., MANLY, B., ALLYN, A., IRONS, D.B. & McKNIGHT, A. 2011a. Distribution, abundance and population trends of the Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Marine Ornithology 39: 97-109.
KULETZ, K.J., SPECKMAN, S.G., PIATT, J.F. & LABUNSKI, E.A. 2011b. Distribution, population status and trends of Kittlitz's murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris in Lower Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay, Alaska. Marine Ornithology 39: 85-95.
KULETZ, K.J., NATIONS, C.S., MANLY, B., ALLYN, A., IRONS, D.B. & McKNIGHT, A. 2013. Brachyramphus murrelet trends and the Prince William Sound, Alaska surveys: A response to Hodges and Kirchhoff. Marine Ornithology 41: 69-71.
LABOCHA, M.K. & HAYES, J.P. 2012. Morphometric indices of body condition in birds: a review. Journal of Ornithology 153: 1-22.
LAWONN, M.J. 2012. Breeding ecology and nest site selection of Kittlitz's Murrelets on Kodiak Island, Alaska. MS Thesis. Corvallis, OR: Oregon State University.
LE BOHEC, C., GAUTHIER-CLERC, M., GREMILLET, D., PRADEL, R., BECHET, A., GENDNER, J. & LE MAHO, Y. 2007. Population dynamics in a long-lived seabird: I. Impact of breeding activity on survival and breeding probability in unbanded king penguins. Journal of Animal Ecology 76: 1149-1160.
L'HEUREUX, M.L., COLLINS, D.C. & HU, Z. 2013. Linear trends in sea surface temperature of the tropical Pacific Ocean and implications for the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. Climate Dynamics 40: 1223-1236.
LOUGHEED, C., LOUGHEED, L.W., COOKE, F. & BOYD, S. 2002. Local survival of adult and juvenile marbled murrelets and their importance for estimating reproductive success. Condor 104: 309-318.
MANTUA, N.J., HARE, S.R., ZHANG, Y., WALLACE, J.M. & FRANCIS, R.C. 1997. A Pacific interdecadal climate oscillation with impacts on salmon production. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 78: 1069–1079.
McFARLANE-TRANQUILLA, L.A., BRADLEY, R.W., LANK, D.B., WILLIAMS, T.D., LOUGHEED, L.W. & COOKE, F. 2003a. The reliability of brood patches in assessing reproductive status in the Marbled Murrelet: words of caution. Waterbirds 26: 108-118.
McFARLANE-TRANQUILLA, L.A., WILLIAMS, T. & COOKE, F. 2003b. Using vitellogenin to identify interannual variation in breeding chronology of Marbled Murrelets (Brachyramphus marmoratus). Auk 120: 512-521.
MOLNIA, B.F. 2008. Glaciers of Alaska. In: WILLIAMS, R.S. & FERRIGNO, J.G. (Eds.) Satellite Image Atlas of the Glaciers of the World. Professional Paper 1386–K. Washington, DC: US Geological Survey.
NEWMAN, S.H., TAKEKAWA, J.Y., WHITWORTH, D.L. & BURKETT, E. 1999. Subcutaneous anchor attachment increases retention of radio transmitters on seabirds: Xantus' and Marbled murrelets. Journal of Field Ornithology 70: 520-534.
ORO, D. 2014. Seabirds and climate: knowledge, pitfalls, and opportunities. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 2: 79. doi://10.3389/fevo.2014.00079.
ORO, D., TORRES, R., RODRIGUEZ, C. & DRUMMOND, H. 2010. Climatic influence on demographic parameters of a tropical seabird varies with age and sex. Ecology 91: 1205-1214.
PEERY, M.Z., BEISSINGER, S.R., NEWMAN, S.H., BURKETT, E.B. & WILLIAMS, T.D. 2004. Applying the declining population paradigm: diagnosing causes of poor reproduction in the Marbled Murrelet. Conservation Biology 18: 1088-1098.
PIATT, J.F., ARIMITSU, M., DREW, G., MADISON, E.N., BODKIN, J. & ROMANO, M.D. 2011. Status and trend of the Kittlitz's Murrelet Brachyramphus brevirostris in Glacier Bay, Alaska. Marine Ornithology 39: 65-75.
PLATT, T., FUENTES-YACO, C. & FRANK, K.T. 2003. Spring algal bloom and larval fish survival. Nature 423: 398-399.
PYLE, P. 2008. Identification Guide to North American Birds, Part II. Ann Arbor, MI: Sheridan Books, Inc.
R CORE TEAM. 2013. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: R Foundation for Statistical Computing.
SCHAEFER, A. 2014. Addressing the challenges of monitoring a rare and elusive seabird. MS Thesis. Missoula, MT: University of Montana.
SCOTT, B.E., SHARPLES, J., WANLESS, S., ROSS, O.N., FREDERIKSEN, M. & DAUNT, F. 2006. The use of biologically meaningful oceanographic indices to separate the effects of climate and fisheries on seabird breeding success. In: BOYD, I.L., WANLESS, S. & CAMPHUYSEN, C.J. (Eds.). Top predators in marine ecosystems. Cambridge, UK: University Press. pp 46-62.
SEALY, S.G. 1974. Breeding phenology and clutch size in the Marbled Murrelet. Auk 91: 10-23.
SHULTZ, M.T., PIATT, J.F., HARDING, A.M.A., KETTLE, A.B. & VAN PELT, T.I. 2009. Timing of breeding and reproductive performance in murres and kittiwakes reflect mismatched seasonal prey dynamics. Marine Ecology Progress Series 393: 247-258.
SORENSEN, M.C., HIPFNER, J.M., KYSER, T.K. & NORIS, D.R. 2009. Carry-over effects in a Pacific seabird: stable isotope evidence that pre-breeding diet quality influences reproductive success. Journal of Animal Ecology 78: 460-467.
SPECKMAN, S.G., SPRINGER, A.M., PIATT, J.F. & THOMAS, D.L. 2000. Variability in abundance of Marbled Murrelets at sea in southeast Alaska. Waterbirds 23: 364-377.
SYDEMAN, W.J., PENNIMAN, J.F., PENNIMAN, T.M., PYLE, P. & AINLEY, D.G. 1991. Breeding performance in the Western Gull: effects of parental age, timing of breeding, and year in relation to food availability. Journal of Animal Ecology 60: 135-149.
TRENBERTH, K.E. & HURRELL, J.W. 1994. Decadal atmosphere-ocean variations in the Pacific. Climate Dynamics 9: 303-310.
US FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE (USFWS). 2013. 12-month finding on a petition to list Kittlitz's Murrelet as an endangered or threatened species. Federal Register 78: 61764.
VERITY, P.G., WASSMANN, P., FRISCHER, M.E., HOWARD-JONES, M.H. & ALLEN, A.E. 2002. Grazing of phytoplankton by microzooplankton in the Barents Sea during early summer. Journal of Marine Systems 38: 109-123.
VIENS, R.J. 1994. Dynamics and mass balance of temperate tidewater calving glaciers of southern Alaska. MA Thesis. Seattle, WA: University of Washington.
WAITE, J.N. & MUETER, F.J. 2013. Spatial and temporal variability of chlorophyll-a concentrations in the coastal Gulf of Alaska, 1998-2011, using cloud-free reconstructions of SeaWiFS and MODIS-Aqua data. Progress in Oceanography 116: 179-192.
WHITWORTH, D.L., TAKEKAWA, J.Y., CARTER, H.R. & McIVER, W.R. 1997. A night-lighting technique for at-sea capture of Xantus' Murrelets. Colonial Waterbirds 20: 525-531.