Behaviourally mediated predation avoidance in penguin prey: in situ evidence from animal-borne camera loggers.

ABSTRACT: Predator dietary studies often assume that diet is reflective of the diversity and relative abundance of their prey. This interpretation ignores species-specific behavioural adaptations in prey that could influence prey capture. Here, we develop and describe a scalable biologging protocol, using animal-borne camera loggers, to elucidate the factors influencing prey capture by a seabird, the gentoo penguin (Pygoscelis papua). From the video evidence, we show, to our knowledge for the first time, that aggressive behavioural defence mechanisms by prey can deter prey capture by a seabird. Furthermore, we provide evidence demonstrating that these birds, which were observed hunting solitarily, target prey when they are most discernible. Specifically, birds targeted prey primarily while as

SUBMITTER: Handley JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6124084 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature