Menu

Volume 49, No. 1

Search by author or title:

Nesting seabirds on the Kaikué-Lagartija Island Nature Sanctuary, Calbuco Archipelago, southern Chile


Authors

JAIME A. CURSACH*, JONNATHAN VILUGRON, JAIME R. RAU, CARLOS OYARZUN & MARCELO PROVOSTE

Citation

CURSACH, J.A., VILUGRON, J., RAU, J.R., OYARZUN, C. & PROVOSTE, M. 2021. Nesting seabirds on the Kaikué-Lagartija Island Nature Sanctuary, Calbuco Archipelago, southern Chile. Marine Ornithology 49: 91 - 95

Received 04 May 2020, accepted 20 August 2020

Date Published: 2021/04/15
Date Online: 2021/03/10
Key words: Kaikué-Lagartija Island, nesting seabirds, Patagonia, seabird conservation

Abstract

Kaikué-Lagartija Island, one of the few sites in the Calbuco Archipelago (southern Chile) that is still in its natural state, has been declared a Nature Sanctuary. However, little has been published regarding the island's natural history. Here we describe the assemblage of nesting seabirds on Kaikué-Lagartija Island, including estimates of abundance, during the breeding seasons of 2012/13, 2014/15, and 2015/16 for eight species found nesting. The Magellanic Penguin Spheniscus magellanicus is the most abundant seabird on this island, with a breeding population of around 200 pairs. The number of nesting pairs of Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus increased from 17 to 23 active nests during the study. Only one pair of Red-legged Cormorant Phalacrocorax gaimardi and five pairs of Rock Shag Phalacrocorax magellanicus nested on the island. In the 2012/13 season, five pairs of the Imperial Shag Leucocarbo atriceps nested, but the area was subsequently colonized by roosting Peruvian Pelicans Pelecanus thagus. Also observed were Fuegian Steamer Ducks Tachyeres pteneres, Dark-bellied Cinclodes Cinclodes patagonicus, and Snowy Egrets Egretta thula. Clearly, the Kaikué-Lagartija Island Nature Sanctuary, though small, is of high value for the conservation of seabirds endemic to Patagonia. Future lines of research for the conservation of nesting seabirds on the island were identified.

References


BIBBY, C., BURGESS, N., HILL, D. & MUSTOE, S. 2000. Bird Census Techniques, 2nd Edition. London, UK: Academic Press.

BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL 2018a. Magellanic Penguin - Spheniscus magellanicus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22697822A132605485. [Accessed at https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22697822A132605485.en on 10 April 2020.]

BIRDLIFE INTERNATIONAL 2018b. Kelp Gull - Larus dominicanus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T22694329A132542863. [Accessed at https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T22694329A132542863.en on 10 April 2020.]

CARNEY, K.M. & SYDEMAN, W.J. 1999. A review of human disturbance effects on nesting colonial waterbirds. Waterbirds 22: 68−79. doi:10.2307/1521995

CLARK, G. 2008. La travesía del Totorore. Santiago, Chile: Aguilar Chilena de Ediciones S.A.

COULSON, J.C. 2001. Colonial breeding in seabirds. In: SCHREIBER, E.A. & BURGER, J. (Eds.) Biology of Marine Birds. Boca Raton, USA: CRC Press.

CURSACH, J.A., VILUGRÓN, J., TOBAR, C. ET AL. 2009. Nuevos sitios de nidificación para cuatro especies de aves marinas en la provincia de Osorno, centro-sur de Chile. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 15: 17−22.

DELGADO, C., CURSACH, J.A. & CÁRDENAS-VÉJAR, J. 2019. Abundancia estival de aves costeras y mamíferos marinos en islas Desertores, comuna de Chaitén (Patagonia chilena). Anales del Instituto de la Patagonia 47: 31−42.

ELLENBERG, U., MATTERN, T., SEDDON, P.J. & LUNA-JORQUERA, G. 2006. Physiological and reproductive consequences of human disturbance in Humboldt penguins: the need for species-specific visitor management. Biological Conservation 133: 95−106.

ESPINOSA, L. & VON MEYER, A. 1994. Expedición a isla Doña Sebastiana 1993. Boletín Chileno de Ornitología 1: 24−25.

GARCÍA-BORBOROGLU, P., YORIO, P., BOERSMA, P.D., DEL VALLE, H. & BERTELLOTTI, M. 2002. Habitat use and breeding distribution of Magellanic Penguins in northern San Jorge Gulf, Patagonia, Argentina. The Auk 119: 233-239. doi:10.1093/auk/119.1.233

LISNIZER, N., GARCÍA-BORBOROGLU, P., PASCUAL, M. & YORIO, P. 2015. Transfer processes drive population dynamics of Kelp Gull colonies in Patagonia: implications for management strategies. Marine Biology Research 11: 738-746. doi:10.1080/17451000.2014.993652

MANSILLA, C. 2005. La isla Lagartija y su presencia en la historia calbucana. Informe para la Oficina de Obras. Calbuco, Chile: Municipalidad de Calbuco.

MMA (MINISTERIO DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE) 2017. Declara Santuario de la Naturaleza isla Kaikué-Lagartija, comuna de Calbuco, Región de Los Lagos. Decreto 33. Norma General CVE 1301746. Santiago, Chile: Ministerio del Medio Ambiente.

PÜTZ, K., REY, A.R., HIRIART-BERTRAND, L., SIMEONE, A., REYES-ARRIAGADA, R., & LÜTHI, B. 2016. Post-moult movements of sympatrically breeding Humboldt and Magellanic Penguins in south-central Chile. Global Ecology and Conservation 7: 49−58. doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2016.05.001

QUINTANA, F. & YORIO, P. 1998. Kelp Gull Larus dominicanus predation on an Imperial Cormorant Phalacrocorax atriceps colony in Patagonia. Marine Ornithology 26: 84−85.

REYES-ARRIAGADA, R., HIRIART-BERTRAND, L., RIQUELME, V. ET AL. 2013. Population trends of the mixed-species colony of Humboldt and Magellanic Penguins in southern Chile after establishing a Protected Area. Avian Conservation and Ecology 8: 13. doi:10.5751/ace-00617-080213

SCHLATTER, R.P. & SIMEONE, A. 1999. Estado del conocimiento y conservación de las aves en mares chilenos. Estudios Oceanológicos 18: 25−33.

SIMEONE, A., HIRIART-BERTRAND, L., REYES-ARRIAGADA, R. ET AL. 2009. Heterospecifing pairing and hybridization between wild Humboldt and Magellanic penguin in southern Chile. The Condor 111: 544−550. doi:10.1525/cond.2009.090083

SIMEONE, A. & SCHLATTER, R.P. 1998. Threats to mixed-species colony of Spheniscus penguins in southern Chile. Colonial Waterbirds 21: 418−421. doi:10.2307/1521654

SIMEONE, A. 2005. Evaluación de la población reproductiva del pingüino de Magallanes y del pingüino de Humboldt en los Islotes Puñihuil, Chiloé. Viña del Mar, Chile: Fundación Otway.

SKEWGAR, E., BOERSMA, P.D., SIMEONE, A. 2014. Winter migration of Magellanic Penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) along the Southeastern Pacific. Waterbirds 37: 203-209. doi:10.1675/063.037.0208

STOKES, D.L. & BOERSMA, P.D. 1998. Nest-site characteristics and reproductive success in Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus). The Auk 115: 34−49. doi:10.2307/4089109

WOODLEY, S., MACKINNON, K., MCCANNY, S. ET AL. 2019. Gestión y manejo de áreas protegidas para la diversidad biológica y las funciones del ecosistema. In: WORBOYS, G.L., LOCKWOOD, M., KOTHARI, A., FEARY, S. & PULSFORD, I. (Eds.) Gobernanza y gestión de áreas protegidas. Bogotá, Colombia: Editorial Universidad El Bosque y Australian National University Press.

YORIO, P., & QUINTANA, F. 1997. Predation by Kelp Gulls Larus dominicanus at a mixed‐species colony of Royal Terns Sterna maxima and Cayenne Terns Sterna eurygnatha in Patagonia. Ibis 139: 536−541. doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1997.tb04670.x

YORIO, P., BRANCO, J.O., LENZI, J., LUNA-JORQUERA, G., & ZAVALAGA, C. 2016. Distribution and trends in Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) coastal breeding populations in South America. Waterbirds 39: 114−135. doi:10.1675/063.039.sp103

Search by author or title:

Browse previous volumes: