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Seabird and dolphin associations: do seabirds benefit from feeding in association with dusky dolphins in Patagonia?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 August 2013

Mariana Degrati ,
Silvana L. Dans ,
Griselda V. Garaffo  and
Enrique A. Crespo
Mariana Degrati*
Affiliation:
Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Bvd. Brown 2915 (9120), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia, Boulevard Almirante Brown 3600, CP (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
Silvana L. Dans
Affiliation:
Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Bvd. Brown 2915 (9120), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia, Boulevard Almirante Brown 3600, CP (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
Griselda V. Garaffo
Affiliation:
Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero, Paseo V. Ocampo Nº 1, Mar del Plata (7600), Argentina
Enrique A. Crespo
Affiliation:
Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Bvd. Brown 2915 (9120), Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia, Boulevard Almirante Brown 3600, CP (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: M. Degrati, Centro Nacional Patagónico (CONICET), Bvd. Brown 2915 (9120) Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina email: degrati@cenpat.edu.ar
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Abstract

The objective of this study was to describe associations between several species of seabirds and dusky dolphins. We investigated during what dolphin activities seabirds were most commonly associated, and the size of flock in relation to the number of dolphins in a group. Since both seabirds and dolphins may display different feeding strategies, we also investigated if benefits differed among seabird species. Data were collected in Golfo Nuevo (42°20′S65°00′W) on-board a research vessel between 2001 and 2008. A total of 224 mixed groups of seabirds were encountered during this study. The seabird–dolphin associations were mainly observed during dusky dolphin surface feeding. Shearwaters and kelp gulls were mainly observed in flocks that were associated with dolphins, while Magellanic penguins and cormorants were mainly observed without dolphins. Seabirds may be conditioned to the foraging strategy of dolphins, since birds are associated with dolphins only during dolphin surface feeding. This association probably helped seabirds to find prey, but there were no obvious benefits to dolphins.

Keywords

commensalismfeeding associationseabird–cetacean interactionPeninsula Valdés
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 94 , Issue 6 , September 2014 , pp. 1147 - 1153
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013 

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