Spatial and temporal predictability drive foraging movements of coastal birds.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Temporal and spatial predictability of food resources are critical to the foraging efficiency of central place foragers. While site fidelity is often assessed in this context, route fidelity, or the repeated use of the same path while traveling, and temporal aspects of habitat predictability have received less attention. We examined how the use of urban, coastal, and offshore habitats influenced spatiotemporal predictability in the foraging patterns of herring gulls (Larus argentatus) and great black-backed gulls (L. marinus). Since gulls show higher site fidelity when foraging in urban habitats, we predicted that these trips would also show higher route fidelity. Similarly, we predicted that gulls foraging in coastal habitats would adapt the timing of foraging trips rel

SUBMITTER: Foley M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11787743 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature