Hostname: page-component-5d84bcc8dc-b9bcm Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-09-13T17:56:43.630Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Mouse predation affects breeding success of burrow-nesting petrels at sub-Antarctic Marion Island

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 December 2017

Ben J. Dilley ,
Stefan Schoombie Open the ORCID record for Stefan Schoombie [Opens in a new window] ,
Kim Stevens ,
Delia Davies ,
Vonica Perold ,
Alexis Osborne ,
Janine Schoombie ,
Christiaan W. Brink ,
Tegan Carpenter-Kling  and
Peter G. Ryan
Ben J. Dilley*
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Stefan Schoombie
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Kim Stevens
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Delia Davies
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Vonica Perold
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Alexis Osborne
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Janine Schoombie
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Christiaan W. Brink
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Tegan Carpenter-Kling
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
Peter G. Ryan
Affiliation:
FitzPatrick Institute of Africa Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
*
dilleyben@gmail.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

We report the breeding success of four species of burrow-nesting petrels at sub-Antarctic Marion Island where house mice Mus musculus are the sole introduced mammal. Feral cats Felis catus were present on Marion for four decades from 1949, killing millions of seabirds and greatly reducing petrel populations. Cats were eradicated by 1991, but petrel populations have shown only marginal recoveries. We hypothesize that mice are suppressing their recovery through depredation of petrel eggs and chicks. Breeding success for winter breeders (grey petrels Procellaria cinerea (34±21%) and great-winged petrels Pterodroma macroptera (52±7%)) were lower than for summer breeders (blue petrels Halobaena caerulea (61±6%) and white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis (59±6%)) and among winter breeders most chick fatalities were of small chicks up to 14 days old. We assessed the extent of mouse predation by monitoring the inside of 55 burrow chambers with video surveillance cameras (4024 film days from 2012–16) and recorded fatal attacks on grey (3/18 nests filmed, 17%) and great-winged petrel chicks (1/19, 5%). Our results show that burrow-nesting petrels are at risk from mouse predation, providing further motivation for the eradication of mice from Marion Island.

Keywords

islandsMus musculusnest survivalProcellariaPterodroma

Information

Type
Biological Sciences
Information
Antarctic Science , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , April 2018 , pp. 93 - 104
Check for updates
Copyright
© Antarctic Science Ltd 2017 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Ancel, A., Petter, L. & Groscolas, R. 1998. Changes in egg and body temperature indicate triggering of egg desertion at a body mass threshold in fasting incubating blue petrels Halobaena caerulea . Journal of Comparative Physiology - Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology, B168, 533–539.Google Scholar
Avenant, N.L. & Smith, V.R. 2003. The microenvironment of house mice on Marion Island (sub-Antarctic). Polar Biology, 26, 129–141.Google Scholar
Berrow, S.D. & Croxall, J.P. 1999. The diet of white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis, Linnaeus 1758, in years of contrasting prey availability at South Georgia. Antarctic Science, 11, 283–292.Google Scholar
Bester, M.N., Bloomer, J.P., van Aarde, R.J., Erasmus, B.H., van Rensburg, P.J.J., Skinner, J.D., Howell, P.G. & Naude, T.W. 2002. A review of the successful eradication of feral cats from sub-Antarctic Marion Island, southern Indian Ocean. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 32, 65–73.Google Scholar
Blackburn, T.M., Cassey, P., Duncan, R.P., Evans, K.L. & Gaston, K.J. 2004. Avian extinction and mammalian introductions on oceanic islands. Science, 305, 1955–1958.Google Scholar
Bolton, M., Stanbury, A., Baylis, A.M.M. & Cuthbert, R. 2014. Impact of introduced house mice (Mus musculus) on burrowing seabirds on Steeple Jason and Grand Jason islands, Falklands, South Atlantic. Polar Biology, 37, 1659–1668.Google Scholar
Campos, A.R. & Granadeiro, J.P. 1999. Breeding biology of the white-faced storm-petrel on Selvagem Grande Island, north-east Atlantic. Waterbirds, 22, 199–206.Google Scholar
Cerfonteyn, M. & Ryan, P.G. 2016. Have burrowing petrels recovered on Marion Island two decades after cats were eradicated? Evidence from sub-Antarctic skua prey remains. Antarctic Science, 28, 51–57.Google Scholar
Chastel, O., Weimerskirch, H. & Jouventin, P. 1995. Body condition and seabird reproductive performance: a study of 3 petrel species. Ecology, 76, 2240–2246.Google Scholar
Chown, S.L. & Smith, V.R. 1993. Climate change and the short-term impact of feral house mice at the sub-Antarctic Prince Edward Islands. Oecologia, 96, 508–516.Google Scholar
Cooper, J. & Fourie, A. 1991. Improved breeding success of great-winged petrels Pterodroma macroptera following control of feral cats Felis catus at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Bird Conservation International, 1, 171–175.Google Scholar
Cooper, J., Marais, A.V.N., Bloomer, J.P. & Bester, M.N. 1995. A success story: breeding of burrowing petrels (Procellariidae) before and after the extinction of feral cats Felis catus at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Marine Ornithology, 23, 33–37.Google Scholar
Cooper, J., Brooke, M.D.L., Burger, A.E., Crawford, R.J.M., Hunter, S. & Williams, A.J. 2001. Aspects of the breeding biology of the northern giant petrel (Macronectes halli) and the southern giant petrel (M. giganteus) at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. International Journal of Ornithology, 4, 53–68.Google Scholar
Cuthbert, R.J., Wanless, R.M., Angel, A., Burle, M.H., Hilton, G.M., Louw, H., Visser, P., Wilson, J.W. & Ryan, P.G. 2016. Drivers of predatory behavior and extreme size in house mice Mus musculus on Gough Island. Journal of Mammalogy, 97, 533–544.Google Scholar
Dilley, B.J., Schramm, M. & Ryan, P.G. 2017a. Modest increases in densities of burrow-nesting petrels following the removal of cats (Felis catus) from Marion Island. Polar Biology, 40, 625–637.Google Scholar
Dilley, B.J., Davies, D., Bond, A.L. & Ryan, P.G. 2015. Effects of mouse predation on burrowing petrel chicks at Gough Island. Antarctic Science, 27, 543–553.Google Scholar
Dilley, B.J., Schoombie, S., Schoombie, J. & Ryan, P.G. 2016. ‘Scalping’ of albatross fledglings by introduced mice spreads rapidly at Marion Island. Antarctic Science, 28, 73–80.Google Scholar
Dilley, B.J., Davies, D., Schramm, M., Connan, M. & Ryan, P.G. 2017b. The distribution and abundance of blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea) breeding at sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Emu, 117, 222–232.Google Scholar
Ferreira, S.M., van Aarde, R.J. & Wassenaar, T.D. 2006. Demographic responses of house mice to density and temperature on sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Polar Biology, 30, 83–94.Google Scholar
Fugler, S.R., Hunter, S., Newton, I.P. & Steele, W.K. 1987. Breeding biology of blue petrels Halobaena caerulea at the Prince Edward Islands. Emu, 87, 103–110.Google Scholar
Gremmen, N.J.M. & Smith, V.R. 2008. Terrestrial vegetation and dynamics. In Chown, S.L. & Froneman, P.W., eds. The Prince Edward Islands: land–sea interactions in a changing ecosystem. Stellenbosch: SUN Press, 215–244.Google Scholar
Hall, A.J. 1987. The breeding biology of the white‐chinned petrel Procellaria aequinoctialis at South Georgia. Journal of Zoology, 212, 605–617.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Imber, M.J. 1976. Breeding biology of the grey‐faced petrel Pterodroma macroptera gouldi . Ibis, 118, 51–64.Google Scholar
Imber, M.J., Harrison, M., Wood, S.E. & Cotter, R.N. 2003. An estimate of numbers of grey-faced petrels (Pterodroma macroptera gouldi) breeding on Moutohora (Whale Island), Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, during 1998–2000. Notornis, 50, 23–26.Google Scholar
Jones, H.P., Tershy, B.R., Zavaleta, E.S., Croll, D.A., Keitt, B.S., Finkelstein, M.E. & Howald, G.R. 2008. Severity of the effects of invasive rats on seabirds: a global review. Conservation Biology, 22, 16–26.Google Scholar
Jones, M.G.W. & Ryan, P.G. 2010. Evidence of mouse attacks on albatross chicks on sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Antarctic Science, 22, 39–42.Google Scholar
Jouventin, P., Bried, J. & Micol, T. 2003. Insular bird populations can be saved from rats: a long-term experimental study of white-chinned petrels Procellaria aequinoctialis on Ile de la Possession (Crozet archipelago). Polar Biology, 26, 371–378.Google Scholar
Le Roux, P.C. & McGeoch, M.A. 2008. Changes in climate extremes, variability and signature on sub-Antarctic Marion Island. Climatic Change, 86, 309–329.Google Scholar
McClelland, G.T.W., Altwegg, R., van Aarde, R.J., Ferreira, S., Burger, A.E. & Chown, S.L. 2017. Climate change leads to increasing population density and impacts of a key island invader. Ecological Applications, 10.1002/eap.1642.Google Scholar
Mayfield, H.F. 1975. Suggestions for calculating nest success. Wilson Bulletin, 87, 456–466.Google Scholar
Newton, I.P. & Fugler, S.R. 1989. Notes on the winter-breeding great-winged petrel Pterodroma macroptera and grey petrel Procellaria cinerea at Marion Island. Cormorant, 17, 27–34.Google Scholar
Petersen, S.L., Honig, M.B., Ryan, P.G. & Underhill, L.G. 2009. Seabird bycatch in the pelagic longline fishery off southern Africa. African Journal of Marine Science, 31, 191–204.Google Scholar
Rand, R.W. 1954. Notes on the birds of Marion Island. Ibis, 96, 173–206.Google Scholar
Rotella, J.J. 2009. Nest survival models. In Cooch, E. & White, G., eds. Program MARK: a gentle introduction. Available at: http://www.phidot.org/software/mark/docs/book/.Google Scholar
Ryan, P.G. & Bester, M.N. 2008. Pelagic predators. In Chown, S.N. & Froneman, W., eds. The Prince Edward Islands: land–sea interactions in a changing ecosystem. Stellenbosch: SUN Press, 121–164.Google Scholar
Schramm, M. 1983. The breeding biologies of the petrels Pterodroma macroptera, P. brevirostis and P. mollis at Marion Island. Emu, 83, 75–81.Google Scholar
Schramm, M. 1986. Burrow densities and nest site preferences of petrels (Procellariidae) at the Prince Edward Islands. Polar Biology, 6, 63–70.Google Scholar
Van Aarde, R.J. 1980. The diet and feeding behaviour of feral cats, Felis catus at Marion Island. South African Journal of Wildlife Research, 10, 123–128.Google Scholar
Van Rensburg, P.J.J. 1985. The feeding ecology of a decreasing feral House Cat, Felis catus, population at Marion Island. In Siegfried, W.R., Condy, P.R. & Laws, R.M., eds. Antarctic nutrient cycles and food webs. Berlin: Springer, 620–624.Google Scholar
Van Rensburg, P.J.J. & Bester, M.N. 1988. The effect of cat Felis catus predation on three breeding Procellariidae species on Marion Island. South African Journal of Zoology, 23, 301–305.Google Scholar
Wanless, R.M., Ratcliffe, N., Angel, A., Bowie, B.C., Cita, K., Hilton, G.M., Kritzinger, P., Ryan, P.G. & Slabber, M. 2012. Predation of Atlantic petrel chicks by house mice on Gough Island. Animal Conservation, 15, 472–479.Google Scholar
Warham, J. 1996. The behaviour, population biology and physiology of the petrels. London: Academic Press, 616 pp.Google Scholar
Watkins, B.P. & Cooper, J. 1986. Introduction, present status and control of alien species at the Prince Edward Islands, sub-Antarctic. South African Journal of Antarctic Research, 16, 86–94.Google Scholar
White, G.C. & Burnham, K.P. 1999. Program MARK: survival estimation from populations of marked animals. Bird Study, 46(Sup. 1), S120–S139.Google Scholar